Days of Justice
by Goliath101
Summary: After facing the Ultimate Enemy, Danny Phantom begins to encounter other heroes, like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Power Girl, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Dr Fate, The Flash, Green Lantern, Shazam and others! When the world is threatened by the forces of evil, they unite to form the Justice League of America!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The author of this story owns nothing contained in this story. All rights to the Justice League of America, Justice Society of America, and all related characters and locations belong to DC comics. Danny Phantom, and all related characters and locations belong to Nickelodeon and Butch Hartman. This story is just for fun, not money.**

 **Hey, everyone! This is my first Justice League/Danny Phantom crossover! A few things: This story will be open-ended, and on-going. Unlike my other story, Avengers' Ghost, this has no clear ending, it may be long, or it may be short. I'm not sure. In this story, the JLA hasn't formed yet, and this story starts shortly after Danny Phantom: The Ultimate Enemy.**

* * *

 **Days of Justice**

By Goliath101

 **Introduction**

Superhumans. Meta-humans. Heroes. Villains. There were many words to describe these extraordinary people. Regardless of what you call them, these beings shaped the world and each other. These were people with gifts. Or curses. Powers to be used for good, or evil. Some could fly, run at the speed of light, wield magical forces, move mountains, raise the seas, create fire or ice, walk through walls, or control other people's minds, the possibilities are nearly endless.

Some of these people were from right here on Earth. Some, from the stars. Yet others, from other dimensions or parallel worlds. Regardless of where they came from, they are among us. They use their abilities to make this world a better place.

These are people like Superman, the Kryptonian who was sent to Earth by his parents when his home planet exploded; Wonder Woman, the Amazon warrior princess from Greek myth; Hawkman and his wife, Hawkgirl, winged guardians from the planet Thanagar; The Flash, the scarlet speedster, who can move at the speed of light; Dr Fate, master of all magic, who could see the fates of those around him; Power Girl, cousin of Superman, another Kryptonian orphan, with all the power of the Man of Steel in a woman's body; Danny Phantom, half ghost teenager with powers from beyond the grave; Green Lantern, space guardian wielding the power of will itself; among others.

Then there are those without special powers, but still uphold the common good. People like Batman, Caped Crusader for the cause of justice; Green Arrow, the emerald archer with a heart of gold; Huntress, scourge of the criminal underworld; Wildcat, retired heavyweight boxer, who now uses his skills to punish criminals; Stargirl, teen heroine with an unyielding heart. While these heroes are less common, they are every bit as important.

They are here. They are our champions for truth, justice, and peace. They are our watchful protectors. Our beacons of hope. Our guardians, who fight enemies that normal people have no defense against. They are the Justice League of America.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: A Test**

Clockwork, ghost master of time, floated staring at his viewing glass, occasionally winding the clock at the end of his staff. As he floated, he switched aged from a toddler to an elderly man and back. For most, time was a string of events, passing by in a straight line. Not for Clockwork. He saw _everything._ Every possible outcome; every possible decision for every thing that existed. Clockwork existed at all times, in all places. Therefore, he knew everything. Everything that was, is, will be, might have been, and might yet happen.

His lair, a massive cathedral-like clock tower, resided in a dimension called the Ghost Zone. Every room was adorned with clocks from every civilization. He rarely got visitors, save for those he would occasionally work with, for the sake of the time line. And the even rarer select few he called friends. Beings like Dr Fate and the Phantom Stranger. But his attention was not on any of them, but on a newer friend. A young boy, whose future he had a vested interest in.

Danny Fenton, the half ghost hero known as Danny Phantom. He had helped the young boy change his future, for everyone's sake. He saw the boy as a friend, a young ward at times. Presently, the teen hero was facing his arch-nemesis, Vlad Plasmius, in a heated battle. Clockwork smirked. He already knew what the outcome would be, just as he knew of the powerful being who would be appearing in his lair any moment now. The Spectre. The Spirit of Vengeance. The ghostly embodiment of God's vengeance upon those who chose the path of evil, and founding member of the Justice Society of America, a group of superheroes from many years ago.

Spectre said nothing as he floated behind Clockwork, he green hood and cloak billowing around him, obscuring his scowling face. Clockwork sighed. "Please," he teased. "Don't say anything, Spectre, you old jabber jaw."

The Spectre scowled at Clockworks dry humor. He had no patience for levity. "You know the reason for this meeting," Spectre growled.

Clockwork reverted to his toddler form. "Of course I do," he whispered, smirking. "But then, I know everything. You wanted to discuss the matter of young Danny Fenton." Clockwork gestured to a beaten Fenton Thermos on a table nearby that contained the once evil future self of Danny Phantom. "But as you see, he's no longer at risk for turning evil. He made the right choice."

"The boy will always be a risk," Spectre said. "He is young, and easily impressed upon. He may still slip up, and become the force of evil he would have, had you and the Observants not intervened." Spectre's glare at deepened. "He should have been destroyed, as the Observants wished."

Clockwork smiled at Spectre's perpetual pessimism. "Nonsense," he said. "Danny Fenton now has a bright future."

"Huh," Spectre grunted. "Typical. I do not dispute it was the right decision to alter the future, but I am not convinced of the boy's conviction to do what's right."

Clockwork glanced back at the screen. "And what are you suggesting?" he asked.

Spectre flashed a dark grin under his emerald hood. "A test," he said. "To see if he would save the life of his most hated enemy."

This got Clockwork's attention. "If the boy does what is right, he is free to go his own way," continued Spectre. "If he stands by as Plasmius is evicerated, Danny Fenton will forever be in my control. An agent of vengeance, striking down those who have committed evils against the innocent, without conscience, or mercy."

A golden Egyptian Ankh appeared, and Dr Fate stepped through. "I find your habit of gambling with the souls of beings distasteful," Dr Fate said to Spectre. Dr Fate was also a founding member of the JSA. The two know each other well. "But I, like Clockwork, see greatness in the boy," Fate continued. "Within him beats the heart of a hero. One that rivals that of Superman or Batman. So go, test the boy. You will see he is no risk." Spectre vanished. The masters of Time and Fate watched as Danny's battle with Plasmius reached it's climax.

* * *

Danny Phantom grunted as he slammed into the pavement, creating a small crater. Floating above him was his arch-nemesis, Vlad Plasmius. Vlad grinned, revealing his fangs. "Oh, Daniel," he said. "When will you except the fact that I am superior to you in every way?" He pointed at Danny, mockingly. "I have years of experience, wealth, power, influence. Yet, you and your mother still defy me! Why? So you can remain a family with your fat idiot of a father?"

Danny got to his feet. He frowned at Vlad. "That's exactly why," he shouted. Danny shot a ghost ray at Vlad, who simply raised a pink energy shield, yawning in fake boredom.

"When will you try something new?" Plasmius questioned the boy. "Really, I grow tired of this charade every time we quarrel." He blasted Danny off his feet, sending him through a wall. Vlad flew to check on his quarry, but was surprised to see nothing there. He looked around, raising an eyebrow. "Running is hardly your style, dear boy," he shouted. "Where are you?"

Behind him, Danny phased through the ground. "You want something new?" he asked. "Try this!" He pulled out a shiny metal belt. The Specter Deflector. He slipped it around Vlad's waist. Locking it into place, Vlad was zapped, yelling in pain. He fell to the ground, reverting back to his human form, that of the billionaire, Vlad Masters.

"Oh, cheese logs!" Vlad shouted. "You little rat! How did I not see that coming?" While wearing the belt, he could not focus his powers, and would remain powerless, until he could find a way to remove it.

Danny chuckled, crossing his arms. "And you say _I'm_ predictable," he said. "Face it, Fruitloop. You should have stayed home with your cat tonight!" Vlad scowled, but before he could say anything, an eerie green mist filled the area. Danny's ghost-sense went off, but it was like nothing he ever felt before. This didn't feel like a regular ghost.

" _Vlad Masters..."_ an unnerving voice came from seemingly everywhere. _"Your day of reckoning is at hand."_ The green mist swirled, and the Spectre himself appeared, floating menacingly before them, green cloak flowing in a non-existent wind. Vlad gasped in fear.

Danny glared at the new-comer. "Hey," he shouted "Who the heck are you?"

Spectre regarded Phantom for a moment before answering, "I am Vengeance. I am the Spectre." He turned back to Masters, who was cowering behind a mailbox. "The time has come for the evil you've wrought to be your undoing. Prepare to be eviscerated." Spectre raised his glowing green hand, reaching for Vlad, who whimpered, trying in vain to remove the belt.

Danny stepped between the two, causing Spectre to lower his hand. "Hey!" Danny exclaimed. "Isn't that a little harsh? I mean, I know he's an evil fruitloop, but wouldn't prison be a better place for him? Or Arkham Asylum?"

Spectre scowled at the young hero. "You would dare to interfere with what must be done?" he questioned. "Why would you stand up for this man?" Spectre gestured to Vlad. "He has caused you nothing but pain. Surely you would rather him be out of your life forever?" Danny looked unsure for a moment. Spectre smiled, and pushed further. "Yes," he growled. "Think about all the sins this man has accumulated. All the lives he has ruined in his selfish life." Danny glanced back at Vlad. "He would gladly kill your father; imagine who else he may have killed. He deserves to be destroyed. All the people he has harmed deserve retribution... They deserve vengeance."

Danny didn't know what to think. Vlad was a menace. That much was certain. But would killing him really bring those he had hurt solace? Would his death be real justice? Danny looked at Vlad. He was trembling in absolute fear. Very unlike the arrogant Vlad Masters he knew. He looked like a normal person, scared for his life. Danny felt a twinge pity for the man. He sighed, before turning back to the Spectre. "No," he said firmly. "His death wouldn't make things better! It would make us no better than him! I won't stand by while you murder a defenseless man!" He raised his glowing fists, ready to fight the Spectre.

Spectre glared at Danny for a moment, making no move, as though he was seeing through Danny's soul. Finally, the Spectre spoke. "As you wish, boy," he glared. "But your leniency with this criminal scum is disappointing. Yet, not surprising. It seems Clockwork's faith in you is justified." He turned back to Vlad. "Make no mistake, Masters," he growled. "You may have been spared for now, but even you cannot outrun the reaper forever. Your day will come." With that, the Spectre vanished.

"What was that all about?" Danny asked to no one in particular. He turned back to Vlad, only to see the man running away down the street, still struggling with the belt. Danny sighed. Knowing Vlad as he did, he wouldn't cause anymore trouble tonight. Danny rubbed his eyes. He needed sleep. He had a lot to think about.

* * *

Back in the Ghost Zone, Clockwork smiled at the monitor. "You see?" he asked. "Danny did what was right. Again."

Dr Fate turned to him. "It would seem he is _fated_ for greatness," he quipped. Dr Fate then looked away, lost in thought for a moment. "He would have been an great addition to the Justice Society."

Clockwork smiled at Dr Fate. "No need to be so caught up in the past. Soon, a new generation will come together, united, just as the JSA was."

Dr Fate cocked his helmeted head to the side. "Yes," he said. "Through the helmet of Nabu, I have glimpsed this future. Though, not as clearly as you, old friend." Dr Fate thought back to when he first encountered Clark Kent, later to be known as Superman. He glimpsed a bright future for the man, leading the next generation of heroes. Perhaps this Danny Phantom was part of that future.

"It has been good to see you again, Clockwork," Dr Fate said. "But I must return to my Tower of Fate. Inza has prepared dinner. I would invite you, but I know how busy you are." Clockwork turned into an old man and smiled. "That," he said, jokingly. "And the fact that I don't need to eat. But thank you, none the less." Dr Fate nodded farewell, and departed, leaving Clockwork alone to watch contentedly as time played out before him. Oh, yes. What a bright future lay ahead...


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All rights to this story and the characters involved belong to the respective owners of DC comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. This story is for fun, not for money or profit of any kind.**

 **Thank you all for the reviews and kind words! I greatly appreciate it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Of Hawks, Gentlemen, and Ghosts**

Amity Park, Illinois was a nice place to live. It was not too big, but not too small. A good town, full of good, honest people. Lush, green farmland, forests, and wide open space surrounded the small city. But it wasn't isolated. The nearest large city nearby was Midway City. Slightly larger than Amity Park, Midway was a mere 125 miles from Amity Park. The only difference between the two cities was the fact that Amity Park had a ghost infestation! Usually.

Danny Phantom was flying hard to catch up to Skulker, the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter. Normally, Skulker would be the first to throw a punch, but he hadn't said two words to his usual prey. "Hey, Skulker," Danny called, his voice echoing in a ghostly way. "What kind of trouble are you up to tonight? Trying to find your old friend, Samson? He's still at the zoo!" Samson was a rare purple-backed gorilla that was at the Amity Park zoo. Skulker had an... unpleasant experience with that beast.

He took the bait, and spun around so fast that Danny had to skid to a stop in mid-air. He blasted a glowing pink net at Danny, before the young hero could react. Danny yelled as he was zapped, falling on top of a nearby roof. "For your information, whelp," Skulker said. "I'm not here to cause any trouble. I'm trying to get back to the Ghost Zone."

This caught Danny off guard. "Wha- Why?" he asked. Skulker glanced around. "Because Plasmius informed me that the Spectre appeared here the other night! Haven't you noticed that there haven't been that many evil ghosts here in the past few days?"

It was true. There weren't that many ghost fights in the past few days. And with both Sam and Jazz down with the flu, and Tucker out of town, Danny had been very bored the past few days. "Yeah, I noticed," he said. "I thought it was because you guys had gotten tired of getting your butts handed to you!" With that, Danny gathered his strength, and tore through the net holding him down.

Skulker made no move, not wanting a fight. "I was only here to see Plasmius," he said. "He owed me an upgrade, and he shut his portal down! I had to use your parent's."

This was news to Danny. "He shut it down?" he asked. "Why?"

"After his encounter with the Spectre, he's decided to lay low, play things straight for a while," Skulker replied.

Danny cocked his eyebrow. "Really?" he asked.

Skulker nodded. "Yes," he said. "We all are playing it safe! No one wants the Spectre after them! So we've decided to not cause trouble. For now. Looks like you get a vacation." Danny was speechless. He wasn't used to talking with Skulker so long without fighting, let alone what was said. It was also true that Vlad had been acting strange since the Spectre incident. He had made several generous donations to local charities, and even had a new children's hospital built in record time.

"The other ghosts are really laying low?" Danny asked.

Skulker sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Yes, you clueless twit," he said. "But don't get too cozy, child. Your pelt will hang on my wall one day. But for now, I just want to get back home."

Danny shrugged. "Fine," he said. Skulker took off again, only to get caught in a blue beam. He was sucked into Danny's Fenton Thermos! "You want to get home? It's only fair I give you a ride!"

Capping the thermos, Danny turned around to head home, but was clubbed in the head by something hard and electrified! Before he lost consciousness, he saw what looked like a large pair of wings in the moonlight...

* * *

Danny finally returned to reality, painfully. It had been a long time since he'd been hit that hard. Rubbing his head, he slowly sat up, taking in his surroundings. He was on a roof, but no roof he was familiar with. And he knew most of them in Amity Park. He heard a ruffling behind him. He turned around and saw a woman standing behind him. But that wasn't what startled him. This woman had wings!

Danny jumped up, looking at her from head to toe. She had long red hair, tucked behind a black and gold helmet/head dress that covered the upper half of her face and the top and back of her head. The sides of the helmet flared back into wings, and the face covering gave her a threatening, hawk-like appearance. Her clothing was equally unique. Her top was a forest green, with gold and blood red trim. She wore matching trousers, with knee-high red and gold combat boots. Her hands were wrapped in athletic tape, like that of a fighter, and wore spiked gauntlets on her forearms. On her belt hung a variety of knives and throwing stars, but most striking was a large, spiked mace.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked. "I told my husband to be a little more diplomatic."

Danny rubbed his head. "Who are you?" he asked. "And where am I? And why do you have wings?"

The winged woman sighed. "People call me Hawkgirl," she answered. "And the answer to your other question is your in Midway City."

Despite his headache, Danny smirked. "Hawkgirl, huh? Can't imagine why they'd call you that!"

Hawkgirl chuckled. "Little smart-ass," she smirked.

"Why am I in Midway?" Danny asked.

Hawkgirl looked him dead in the eyes. "My husband, Hawkman, and I need your help," she said. "We've heard your something of an expert on ghosts. We have a problem here in Midway."

Danny glared, and replied, "You know, you could have just asked, instead of knocking me out, and kidnapping me!"

"Well that was the plan," she explained. "But my husband tends to be a little hot-headed. Sorry about that. Anyway, some ghost has been causing trouble at the local museum of natural history."

Danny rubbed his chin. "Well," he said. "What can this ghost do?"

"Well," she explained. "He can walk through walls, fly, and vanish. We can't get a direct hit on him, because he keeps going through walls. It's really pissing us off! Are you gonna help, or not?"

Hawkgirl clearly liked fighting, Danny surmised. The thought of not being able to hit an enemy directly must have been irritating to her. He sighed, deciding he may as well help. She did apologize, after all. "All right," he sighed. "Lead the way. If you there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?"

"Seriously?" Hawkgirl asked, as they took to the air.

Danny shrugged. "What? I've always wanted to say that!"

* * *

The two soon landed on top of a building, over looking the Midway Museum of Natural History. Hawkman was waiting for them. "What took so long?" he groused. Danny crossed his arms, looking Hawkman up and down. He was a large man, with stubble on his face. His outfit was similar to Hawkgirl's. His helmet was slightly different, but held the same look. His wings were slightly larger, and he wore a battle harness, instead of a shirt. In the center of it was a red and black symbol of a hawk's head. He also had similar weapons, including the same style of spiked mace.

"Well hello, to you, too," Danny shot back. "What are we waiting for?"

Hawkman glanced at his wife, who nodded once. "Let's go," he said. The three swooped down through an open window on the roof of the museum. They landed in the ancient Egyptian exhibit. "So, ghost boy," Hawkman said. "What's our plan of attack? How do we get this guy out of our museum without damaging anything?"

Danny glanced at Hawkman. "What do you mean, 'your' museum?" he asked. "Do you guys live here, or something? Come to think of it, those maces look like they belong in a museum." Hawkman looked bewildered for a moment. He had just spilled the beans like an idiot to some kid he just met. He scowled at Danny, chalking it up to the trustworthy aura the kid seemed to give off. That, and he hadn't slept in several nights.

Hawkgirl facepalmed. "Oh, Katar," she sighed shaking her head. "What my husband means, is that we're good friends with the curators, Carter and Sharon Hall," she said. "The Hall's took us in when we crash landed on Earth."

Danny blinked several times at this information. "Are you guys aliens?"

Hawkgirl scowled, and put her hands on her hips. "You got a problem with that?" she asked, angrily.

Danny shook his head quickly. "No way," he said, grinning excitedly. "This is awesome! I never thought I'd get to meet real, live aliens! I'm a space nut! So, what's space like? Why did you crash land here? Were you attacked? What's your home planet like? Did you-"

Danny's questioning was cut short by a very pissed off Hawkman, who grabbed Danny roughly by the collar. "ENOUGH!" he yelled. "We're here to do a job! If you can't focus on the task at hand, then-"

Danny phased through Hawkman's grasp. "Whoa, easy!" he shouted. Before anyone could say anymore, a loud crash came from another room.

"Come on," Hawkgirl said. "He's in the storeroom!" The three heroes rushed off toward the noise.

"So," Danny said. "What's this guy after?"

"We don't know," Hawkgirl answered. "He's been in here since the museum closed, causing trouble. But we haven't been able to catch him. We don't want to damage anything, so we had to find help. You."

As the three rounded a corner into the storeroom, a loud shout echoed through the hallways. "BEWARE!"

Danny stopped dead in his tracks, before nearly falling over, laughing. "Oh, man," he said between laughs. "Him? You can't catch _him_?"

Suddenly, none other than the Box-Ghost, a fat, blue ghost in overalls, came out of the shadows. "It is I, the Box-Ghost! And I have come to reek my square shaped vengeance!" Box-Ghost saw Danny floating beside the Hawks, who had their maces raised.

"Phantom," he asked. "What are you doing here? It matters not! For, I, the all-mighty Box-Ghost, shall destroy you all with my newly found weapon, the wooden shipping container! Once I empty these marvelous containers of shipping of their worthless, old junk, I will-" He was cut off by Danny sucking him into the Fenton Thermos, capping it with a bored look.

The two winged wonders looked at Danny in surprise. "What," Danny said. "He would have gone on all night!"

The two heroes glanced at each other, slightly embarrassed. "It was that easy for you?" Hawkgirl asked.

"Yup," Danny replied. "I've fought him before. He's just an annoyance. What I can't figure out, is why he came here. There's a museum in Amity Park, why come all the way here?"

No one had an answer. Then, Danny's ghost sense went off, and from across the room, another voice sounded. A cultured, British-sounding voice. "What's taking you so long, you fat, blue fool? I'm not paying you to laze around!" The person speaking floated through the wall. He wore an all-white evening attire that looked like it was from the 1800's, complete with a monocle, cane, and top hat. The strange part was that there appeared to be no one wearing the clothes, like the invisible man. His pockets were full of jewels and gold pieces he had stolen from other parts of the museum. "Oh, dear," he said, noticing the three heroes.

"Who are you?" Hawkman growled.

"I am Gentleman Ghost," replied the new-comer. He removed his top hat, and bowed. "And I am here to relieve this dusty old museum of it's many valuable pieces, once I find that droll idiot I hired."

"Like hell, you are," challenged Hawkgirl.

Gentleman Ghost ignored here, and gazed at Danny. "I know of you," he said. "Phantom, half ghost hero, who battles the forces of the dead to protect the living. Charming."

Danny frowned at the new ghost. "Well," he said. "I never heard of you. You're the reason the Box-Ghost was here? Boy, do you have low standards for henchman. Boxy is an moron!"

"So it would seem," Gentleman Ghost said. "Well, it would seem I have over stayed my welcome, for now."

He turned to leave, but Hawkman blocked his way. "You're not going anywhere," he said, raising his mace. "You break into this museum, and try to steal what's inside? Not gonna happen."

The ghost in white laughed. "As if you can stop me," he said, flying through her, out of the building.

"After him!" shouted Danny.

Danny flew out of the museum, right on Gentleman Ghost's tail. He shot a green ghost ray at Gentleman Ghost, striking him in the back. "Aarrgh," he screamed as he fell to the ground. He slowly got to his feet. "Cruel, child," he said. "Shooting an enemy from behind. I thought heroes were supposed to be honorable?"

Danny landed in front of his enemy. "Only when the bad guys aren't cowards," he shot back. "Now give back what you stole, or this is gonna get messy!"

Gentleman Ghost tipped his hat. "Oh," he said. "I agree." He pointed his cane at Danny, shooting a white ghost ray of his own at Danny. It hit Danny in the chest, blasting him off his feet. "You may be top dog in Amity Park," Gentleman Ghost said. "But against me, you don't stand a ghost of a chance!"

Getting to his feet, Danny said, "Leave the puns to me, creep!" He flew at full speed, landing an uppercut to where he thought Gentleman Ghost's jaw was.

Gentleman Ghost went down, clutching his face. "Argh," he whimpered. "My nose!"

"Whoops," Danny said. "Oh, well. Works for me!" He pulled out his Thermos, but Gentleman Ghost lashed out with his cane, hitting it out of Danny's hand! "Hey!" Gentleman Ghost then tripped up Danny, putting his foot on his chest.

"Time to join me in the afterlife, boy, as a _full ghost_!" He pulled out a ghostly flint lock pistol and aimed it at Danny's head.

Before he could pull the trigger, a large mace knocked the villain off his feet! Hawkman then few up behind Gentleman Ghost, and threw an Nth metal net at him, restraining him. Danny got to his feet, and retrieved the stolen items from the evil ghosts pockets. Hawkgirl picked up Danny's Thermos, and tossed it to Danny, who sucked Gentleman Ghost inside. "Nooo," the crook shouted. "This is not over! I will be back, fools! Count on it!"

"Nice save," Danny said. Glancing at the maces of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, he realized something and once more rubbed the back of his skull. "Whatever your weapons are made of, they render a ghost's natural powers kinda useless. I've never been hurt by metal, before. And I'm betting neither has Gentleman Ghost!"

"It's called Nth metal," Hawkgirl explained. "It's from our home planet of Thanagar; it's not found anywhere on Earth. Back home, there were ancient legends and folk lore that said it was used to ward off spirits of the dead. Never figured those stories to be real, though. Good to know."

* * *

Back at the museum, the trio of heroes were placing the stolen items back in their rightful places. "Thanks for your help, kid," Hawkgirl said.

"Anytime," Danny said. "Thank you guys for stopping Gentleman Ghost, before he made me give up the ghost!" Hawkman just shrugged. He hadn't said a word since getting back. "What's your problem?" Danny asked.

Hawkman glared at Danny. "I still don't know if we can trust you," he said. "Your young. Your arrogant. Sloppy. You jump into chaos before looking."

Hawkgirl put her hand on her husband's shoulder, kissing him on the cheek. "Sounds like someone I know," she said softly.

Danny huffed, and said, "Before I go, there is one more thing I have to do..." He then slugged Hawkman in the jaw, sending him to the floor!

"Katar," Hawgirl called, crouching over to him. She shot a glare at Danny.

"That's for knocking me out, and kidnapping me," Danny said rubbing his fist.

Hawkgirl grabbed her mace. "Why you little..."

Before she could swing at Danny, Hawkman sat up, laughing hard. "I haven't been hit like that in a long time!" he said, standing up. "Nice right hook, kid!"

Danny smiled and shrugged. "Thanks," he said. He looked out the window, and saw the sun was starting to rise. "Listen, guys," he said. "I really need to get home, before I'm missed! And I have to throw these guys back into the Ghost Zone. But if you guys need any help down the road-"

"We know who to call," Hawkgirl said, smiling. Danny grinned back, and flew out of the museum, and took off towards home. He couldn't wait to tell Jazz, Sam and Tucker about his little adventure in Midway City!

The two Thanagarians watched Danny fly off out the window. "Smooth move, Katar" Hawkgirl said, teasingly, taking her helmet off, revealing the face of Shayera Hol, aka Sharon Hall. "You almost blew our identities to a kid."

Hawkman also took off his helmet, sighing. "Right back at you, Shayera," Katar Hol, aka Carter Hall, shot back. "You really pulled my butt out of the fire with that one."

"Well," she shrugged. "I didn't technically lie to the kid, I just didn't mention we're Carter and Sharon Hall." The two chuckled as they started to clean up their museum before it opened.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: All rights to characters, places, etc. belong to the respective owners of DC Comics, and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this is merely for fun, not money.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: A Knight in Gotham**

Several months had passed since Danny's adventure with Hawkman and Hawkgirl in Midway City. Last he heard, Gentleman Ghost was still locked up in Walker's jail in the Ghost Zone. Danny had actually become friends, of sorts, with the Hawks. They had even worked together on a couple of cases together! They taught Danny a lot; including how to be a better detective, and he, in turn, shared what he learned with Tucker and Sam. Turns out, the two Hawks were law enforcement officers on their homeworld of Thanagar. Since then, Danny had several adventures of his own.

He had stopped Technus from taking over Amity Park (again); he, Tucker, and Sam had freed a kingdom in the Ghost Zone (Danny still couldn't believe he was friends with a dragon!); Tucker had been taken over by a crazy mummy ghost named Hotep Ra; unfortunately, Vlad was back to his evil ways. He had infected Tucker and Sam with Ecto-Acne, in order to force Danny to find a cure, and then, he tried to make a clone of Danny! The clone came out as a girl named Danielle, or Dani-with-an-'i', who also had ghost powers. She was currently exploring the world, with the promise of coming back. This worried Danny very much, but he couldn't have stopped her if he tried.

And then, oh, ho-ho, then came the incident with Freakshow. The nutty ringmaster had gotten hold of a mystical relic called the Reality Gauntlet. He kidnapped Danny, Sam, and Tucker's families, and tried to alter reality to his whim. Thankfully, Team Phantom stopped him, and destroyed the artifact, and Freakshow went to prison. For all of two weeks.

Somehow, Freakshow had fandango-ed his way into getting an early release. Now, he was taking his circus train, and leaving Amity Park. According to the destination manifest he and Tucker had hacked into, the circus train was headed for Gotham City, way out on the east coast. What in the world would that nut want there? Danny had decided he needed to follow him to Gotham, and stop whatever twisted schemes he had planned.

As luck would have it, Danny and Jazz's parents were in London at the World Paranormal Investigator's convention. It was month long convention for all things paranormal, something his parents had been planning for for over a year. It was the middle of summer, so Danny didn't have to worry about school, and Jazz would cover for him, as she had been left in charge.

Sam and Tucker would be his support over the Fenton Phones. Jazz loaned him her credit card, and he had built a utility belt with all the Fenton gadgets he would need. Secretly, he was looking forward this! Maybe he would get the chance to throw the ringmaster into Arkham Asylum, or maybe he would get into a fight with Killer Croc! Or beat up Two-Face!

He also had prepared for a possible encounter with the Dark Knight himself, Batman. Danny had an idea about who the man behind the bat was. According to Sam, a couple years ago, her parents and she were at some rich to-do gala that billionaire Bruce Wayne had thrown. Every rich jerk in the world was there, even Lex Luthor. Then, when the Riddler and Penguin attacked a bank down town, Bruce Wayne had suddenly disappeared, and was gone for the rest of the night. While this alone didn't prove anything, Danny generally trusted Sam's intuition. She was easily one of the sharpest people he knew.

But that was not something he was dwelling on at the moment. Gotham was such a busy place, Batman likely wouldn't even know he was there. Or, maybe he would. He was the world's greatest detective, after all. As Freakshow's creepy black and green train left the station, Danny flew the Specter Speeder, keeping it invisible, and began to trail the train. Thankfully, he could recharge the Speeder with his own ecto-energy, so he didn't need fuel.

* * *

Maybe Danny underestimated how far Amity Park was from Gotham. The train slowly made it's way through Keystone City, and only stopped every other small town over night. Danny was exhausted by the time they reached Fawcett City, which was just outside Metropolis. He had been gone for near of a week. Next stop, Gotham City...

* * *

Gotham wasn't quite as creepy as Danny thought, as the train arrived at around 7:30 at night. Rainy, yes. But honestly, Danny was expecting more creepy gothic architecture. It was actually not too bad. ' _Yeah, right,'_ Danny thought. If it wasn't that bad, the city wouldn't need Batman. The train stopped at the train depot, and Danny set the Specter Speeder down on the roof of a nearby abandoned warehouse, leaving it in cloaking mode.

Danny put on his new white cloak Sam had made for him. He actually based the design on the Spectre's cloak, only white; a billowing ankle length cloak, with a large hood that curved down to a point over his forehead, leaving most of his face in shadow, with only his glowing green eyes visible, while the inner lining of the cloak was black, matching his jumpsuit.

Danny turned invisible, and crouched down on the roof. Danny pulled out a pair of Fenton Binoculars, and saw Freakshow leave the train yard, with his ghost assistant, Lydia, wearing her trademark cloak. Freakshow was as pale and creepy as ever. He still wore the black leather trench coat over his Halloween-orange shirt, and matching bowler hat and boots. The two managed to wave down a taxi cab. Lydia and Freakshow climbed inside. Evidently, he didn't want Lydia drawing attention to the fact that she was a ghost, yet still wanted her nearby.

Danny took to the sky, following the cab over head. Eventually, the cab pulled up in front of the Gotham Royal Hotel, and the two went inside. Danny landed on a nearby roof top, crouching down, watching for any sign of Freakshow or Lydia. ' _Quite a ritzy joint,'_ he thought. How could Freakshow afford to stay in a place like that? More importantly, why? He had his whole personal train car to himself. Danny pondered these things for several moments.

" _Hey, Danny,"_ came Sam's voice over the Fenton Phones. _"What's going on now?"_

Danny put his finger to his ear, and answered back, "Hey, not much. Freakshow just went into the Gotham Royal Hotel. Not sure why, though."

" _Think he's meeting some other super criminals?"_ asked Tucker.

"No clue," Danny replied. "Maybe he just wants a taste of luxury for the night. But that doesn't answer where he got the money for it, though. I'll call back when I find out more." He cut the transmission, before considering his options. He could fly through the hotel, invisible, until he found Freakshow. But he didn't want to risk Freakshow somehow knowing he was there. If he or Lydia sensed him, then he would risk putting other people in danger if things turned violent. Then, he would also be to blame. He didn't want Batman or the GCPD coming after him.

The rain had finally let up. Danny turned himself intangible to dry himself off. He also let up his invisibilty, deciding he was safe enough for the moment, but he remained crouched down. Then, a dark shadow appeared silently behind him. Danny wouldn't have noticed, but he saw the shadow's refection in the rain puddle next to him. ' _As if on cue,'_ Danny thought to himself.

The Batman had arrived.

The Dark Knight stood silently, observing the mystery person in front of him. Danny sighed, containing his excitement, and decided to play it cool. He slowly stood up, and faced the Caped Crusader, floating at eye level with him. Danny noticed that, in person, Batman wore a long black shiny cape with blue inside lining that flowed several feet behind him, gray kevlar spandex, a yellow utility belt, and a black bat symbol on his chest, surrounded in a yellow oval.

In short, he was every bit as cool and intimidating as you would imagine. Batman's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the being in the white hooded cloak with glowing green eyes floating in front of him, but otherwise made no expression. The two stared each other down for a long moment, neither making a move. "I suppose this changes things," Danny said, coolly.

Batman scowled. "Not really," he answered, his voice growled like ice. Moving so fast, Danny barely registered the movement, Batman handcuffed him. "Your coming with me," Batman said. "I have some questions for you." Danny looked down at his shackled hands. He turned them intangible, and the handcuffs phased right through, clattering on the ground. Again, Batman's eyes widened. Danny smirked, and punched Batman, sending him flying back into the wall! Batman grunted as he landed on his feet.

Danny walked past him. "What," he teased, coyly. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Batman through a bolas at Danny's feet, tripping him up. Batman was immediately on top of him, grabbing Danny by the cloak, his hood falling back.

"I'm not superstitious," Batman said.

Danny used his incredible strength to haul them both off the ground to their feet. "No," Danny said. "But you are paranoid." Danny then launched them both towards the fire exit, knocking it off it's hinges. The two plummeted to the ground. Batman landed on his feet. Looking around, he saw the kid running around the corner. Narrowing his eyes, Batman launched his grappler.

Danny rounded another corner, knowing full well he hadn't lost Batman. This was fun! ' _Holy crap,'_ Danny thought. ' _I just punched Batman!'_ Suddenly, Batman landed in front of him, stopping Danny dead in his tracks. "You're fast," Batman said. "I'll give you that." Rather than running away, Danny grinned and flew up into the air, fast. Batman narrowed his eyes."He can fly, too," Batman said to himself. "Great."

* * *

Danny was grinning as he flew above the city. "Oh, man," he said. "How awesome was that? Hmm?" Danny heard an engine behind him. He glanced back to see the Bat-wing coming up fast. "Alright," he said. "Let's see if you can keep up." With that, Danny pushed ahead, speeding up.

The Bat-wing sped to catch up. Inside the cockpit, Batman narrowed his eyes. ' _He's toying with me,'_ he thought. ' _He's not trying to get away.'_

Danny Phantom flew in several tight maneuvers, the Bat-Wing following suit. Danny decided to take a risk. He dove towards the city, flying in between buildings. Smiling, Danny flew straight at the side of a skyscraper, and turned intangible. Batman watched in shock as the kid flew through the wall. He turned the Bat-wing on it's side, skimming the side of the skyscraper.

On the other side, Danny held back as he came out of the building. He watched, proud of himself, as the Bat-Wing rocketed past, flying away from Danny's location. Chuckling, Danny flew away. He thought he was in the clear, when a large net caught Danny from above! Danny was surprised, and crash landed in a nearby park.

Danny shrugged the net off, and stood up. He scanned the skies, but saw no trace of the Bat-wing. Turning around, he found himself once again face-to-face with Batman! "I can do this all night," Batman growled, throwing a punch. Danny turned intangible and invisible, causing Batman's punch to miss.

 _"So can I, dude,"_ Danny's dis-embodied voice replied.

"So it would seem," Batman said. "But why waste time?" He spun around to see Danny floating in front of him, white cloak billowing. "Who are you?" demanded Batman.

Danny looked the Dark Knight dead in the eye. "My name is Danny Phantom," he said. "I'm one of the good guys, just like you, Bats _."_

"That remains to be see," Batman replied. "You're the one who threw the first punch."

Danny shrugged. "And you're the one who handcuffed me," he said. "I don't take well to that sort of thing."

Batman continued to glare at Danny. "Understandable. What are you, exactly? Density shifting isn't easy. You fly like Superman, but his legs don't merge into a tail when he flies. And your eyes glow green; his don't."

Danny shook his head. "I'm no alien," he said. "I'm a ghost."

Batman looked skeptical. "You expect me to believe that?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter if you believe it or not," Danny replied, shooting Batman a glare of his own. "It's the truth!"

Batman returned the glare. "Fair enough," he said. "But forgetting what you are for a moment, why are you in Gotham?"

"I'm tracking a very dangerous criminal, called Freakshow," Danny replied. "I've followed him and his circus all the way from my city of Amity Park. Unfortunately, I'm kinda at a loss of what to do next."

Batman sized the small hero up for a long moment. "You're telling the truth," he said, finally. Batman could read most people like a book. He could see the kid wasn't lying. "Come with me."

Danny looked at the Dark Knight, bewildered. "Where?"

Batman pressed a button on his utility belt. "My place," he answered. Suddenly, a loud engine roared around the corner. Probably the most impressive, sleek black vehicle Danny had ever seen pulled up. "Get in," Batman said, heading toward the Batmobile.

The vehicle was as black as a starless night with red trim, with wheels that looked like they were used for climbing mountains. On the back where the trunk should have been appeared to be a rocket tail-pipe. The head lights were bright, blue LED's, and the grill looked vaguely menacing. On the back of the roof, a large wing-shaped fin sailed along the back half of the car. Danny grinned, as he climbed into the passenger seat.

"Nice ride," Danny said. Batman said nothing. Danny noticed he couldn't see out of any of the windows. "Uh," he said uncertainly. "How are you seeing the road?"

Batman glanced at his passenger. "Computer auto-drive," he said. Batman gestured towards the dash board. "Internal sensors see the road, so I don't have too. I don't want you to see where we're going until we get there. Still not sure I can trust you."

"Cool," Danny said. Batman raised an eyebrow, confused. "Uh, not cool that you don't trust me; cool that the Batmobile can drive itself!" Batman said nothing in response. The ride back was very silent, and very uncomfortable. For Danny, at least. On one hand, he was ecstatic to be working with Batman! On the other hand, he was very concerned that Batman didn't like him very much.

After what seemed like a half hour, the Batmobile came to a stop. "We're here," Batman said, exiting the car. Danny followed, looking around at nothing but darkness. "Lights," Barman said. Suddenly, the room filled with light, revealing the Bat-cave!

"Whoa," Danny said in wonder. "I can't believe I'm actually in the Bat-cave!"

Batman sat down at his computer console and began typing, as Danny looked around in awe. "So, this criminal, Freakshow," Batman said, calling Danny's attention. "What's his story; what do you know about him?"

Danny floated over next to Batman. "His full name is Frederich Isak Showenhower," he said. "He owns and operates a circus called 'Circus Gothica'. He's also it's ringmaster. He was arrested about six months ago for bank robberies in Amity Park, as well as child endangerment. He escaped about three weeks ago, when he, well... Let's just say I caught him."

"Here he is," Batman pointed to the screen, showing Freakshow's mugshot. "Strange," he said, rubbing his chin. "It says here that he was released on good behavior, but with the charges against him, as well as escaping prison, he shouldn't have been eligible for any kind of early release..."

Danny nodded. "I know," he said. "That's why I followed him here. It's painfully obvious he pulled something to get out, but why come to Gotham, of all places? I mean, I know it's the creepiest, most crime-ridden city in America, but come on!"

Batman had no answer for that. "Did he try to set up his circus in any of the cities between Amity Park and here?" he asked Danny.

"No," the young hero said. "At most, he stopped to resupply and rest, but he didn't set up. Barely even left the train yards. He hardly even stoped, too. Sped right through Midway, Keystone, and Central cities. He stopped in a few smaller towns like I said, and once in Fawcett City."

"So he made a bee line here," Batman said. "Meaning he was planning to come here all along." Batman didn't like when criminals from outside Gotham came to his city. It meant he had learn everything about them in a very short period of time; plus keep track on the criminals who already lived here.

"Hey, uh, Batman," said Danny. "Why did you bring me here. From what I've read, you're not exactly the trusting sort. Yet, you seem to trust me, at least enough to want to help me." Batman didn't say anything for a moment. Then, he stood up from his seat and faced the young ghost.

"You're right," he said. "But you followed a criminal half way across the country because you knew he was up to something, but couldn't put your finger on it. You followed him to make sure he didn't harm anyone. To stop him if he tried. Not because you felt like it; not because it was easy or not. But because you knew it was the right thing to do. That's what I would have done. Any other hero would have let a criminal like him go, happy that he was out of their city, and hope the police or another hero would stop him. But you didn't. And that's enough to let me know you're to be trusted."

Before Danny could say anything, another engine roared into the cave. It was a red motorcycle. On it was two figures. They also wore costumes, and appeared to be the same age as Danny. One was a boy, wearing a red, green and yellow outfit with the letter R on his chest, with a black and yellow cape. He had black spiky hair and wore a domino mask over his eyes.

The other rider was a girl, wearing a purple outfit similar to Batman's. Her shirt was long, and came down in a skirt over matching purple tights with tall boots. She had a yellow utility belt, and the Bat symbol on her chest was also yellow. Her cape and mask were jet black, as were her gloves and boots. She also had red hair coming out behind her mask. The two jumped off the bike, and were talking with each other, neither noticing Batman and Danny Phantom watching them.

"I told you those Penguin's goons would try run when they saw us," the girl said.

"Yeah, right," the boy replied. "Because you're _so_ intimidating."

The girl glared at her partner. "Says the guy dressed like a street-light. At least I'm dressed the part!"

"Hey," the boy shot back. "Don't mock the colors! These are my family's colors! Have been for years!"

The girl held up her hands, realizing she crossed a line. "Sorry," she said. "At least we won! Left Penguin's goons tied up for the cops, just like the big guy told us! Thank goodness for the Bat-Wave he loaned us, or else we wouldn't have found them!"

"Ahem," Batman said, drawing the pair's attention. They stared at Batman and his company, like kids with their hands in the cookie jar. "Uh, hey, Batman," the girl said. The boy looked between Batman and the floating guy. "Uh, Bats," he said. "Who is this?"

Batman gestured to the figure in the white cloak. "This is Danny Phantom," he said. "He's tracking a criminal called Freakshow from his city of Amity Park. He needs our help finding out why Freakshow is here in Gotham." He turned to Danny. "These are my proteges, Batgirl and Robin. And they're late."

Danny nodded to the two. "Uh, hi," he said.

"How are you floating?" Batgirl asked.

"He claims to be a ghost," Batman said.

Batgirl gasped, "A ghost?!"

Robin laughed. "Yeah, right! If you're a ghost, prove it!"

Danny sighed. "Fine, but you asked for it." Danny suddenly vanished.

The trio glanced around the Bat-cave. "Where did he go?" Batgirl asked.

Danny then silently re-appeared behind Robin. Leaning in, he said, "Boo." Robin yelled, and jumped several feet in the air. Batgirl covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh.

"Impressive," came a new voice. An older gentleman in a butler's suit stepped out of the elevator, carrying a plate of sandwiches and cookies. "And here I thought _I_ was the only one who could sneak up on young Master Robin."

"Who are you," Danny said.

The older man nodded. "My name is Alfred, sir," he introduced himself. "I assist the Batman and his young friends, when needed. I also keep the Bat-Cave tidy, and wash the capes."

"Batman has a butler?" Danny asked. "Cool!"

Alfred smiled. "Indeed, sir. And, I thought some sandwiches and cookies were in order, after a long night of fighting crime."

"The nights not over yet, Alfred," Batman said sitting back down at his computer. "We're working on a new case."

Alfred sighed. "Of, course, sir," he said, setting the tray on a nearby console. "I'll just leave these down here. I'm sure the young master and lady, as well as our new guest, would like to eat before going back out. And do try to eat, as well, sir. It would do no good for Gotham's Dark Knight to have his stomach growl while beating up criminals."

"I'm sure I'll be fine, Alfred," Batman said, typing on his keyboard.

Batgirl and Robin dove into the food like they hadn't eaten for a week. While in his ghost form, Danny didn't need to eat, so he wasn't hungry. "So," Robin said between bites. "Who's this Freakshow guy?"

Danny cast his gaze to Freakshow's mugshot on the monitor. "He's a deranged ringmaster," Danny explained. "He once tried to control me with a creepy staff. Luckily, I broke free, with some help, and destroyed his staff. He's wanted revenge ever since."

"That still doesn't explain why he's in Gotham," Batgirl said, swallowing a cookie.

"No," Batman said. "But he's checked into the Gotham Royal Hotel. We need to find out why."

Robin looked at Danny, who was floating nearby. "If you're a ghost," he said. "Couldn't you just fly in to his room invisibly and find out what he's up to?"

Danny shook his head. "No," he said. "Freakshow has his assistant with him. Her name is Lydia. She's a ghost, too. She would sense me long before I got into his room."

Batman stood up, and walked over to the trio. "Which is why we're going in instead," he said. "Phantom, what can this Lydia do? Do all ghosts have the abilities you exhibited earlier tonight? What can we expect?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah," he explained. "All ghosts can over-shadow people, turn invisible, fly, and turn intangible; meaning we can go through anything. And I mean _anything._ "

Batgirl looked confused for a moment. "Over-shadow?" she asked. "You mean like, possession? Taking over someone's body and stuff?"

"Exactly," Danny confirmed. The Bat family looked unnerved by that information. "Also," he continued. "Certain ghosts have abilities unique to them. Meaning, Lydia can control her tattoos. They come to life, so to speak, and do her bidding. I can't do something like that."

Okay," Batman said. "What can you do that she can't?"

Danny smirked. "Well," he said. "I can shoot ghost rays out of my hands." To demonstrate, he raised his hand and shot a green ray out of his fist at the floor several feet away."

"Cool," said Robin. "We know what Freakshow looks like," he said. "What does Lydia look like?"

"She's green and has lots of piercings," Danny explained. "She has pure red eyes, and her hair is gelled out into long spikes. She wears a black leather bikini and tall boots. But she almost always wears a long, red cloak that covers everything, even her face. And she never talks. Ever. Still not sure why."

"Alright," Batman said. "Let's not waste anymore time. Phantom, I want you as a look-out from the same building we met on earlier tonight. You're going to be our back-up. If something happens, and we can't fight against either of them, it'll be up to you to stop them. Here." He handed Danny an ear communicator. "We'll contact you for back-up."

"Wait," Batgirl said. "What floor is he staying on?" Gotham Royal was a huge hotel, after all.

"14th floor; room 1408, which means it's going to be hard to get to." Batman had already hacked into the Hotel computer files. With that, the heroes jumped into action. Batman, Robin, and Batgirl took the Bat-wing, while Danny flew easily beside them.

Batgirl was watching Danny out the window, unaccustomed to seeing someone flying under their own power. "Wow," she said. "I wish I could do that."

Robin glanced over at her. "Ooh," he said teasingly. "Got a crush on the ghost kid? Maybe you two should get a room while we're there!" Batgirl stuck her tongue out at Robin.

Batman sighed. "Settle down, you two. We're almost there."

* * *

They arrived on top of the hotel, and Danny flew off to the building across the street. The plan was to have Robin and Batgirl move through the vents, while Batman would be forced to go through on foot. Danny hated this, being the back up, but he didn't want to alert Freakshow to his presence. Sighing, he crouched down on the rooftop, pulling his cloak closer around him. The more he was in Gotham, the creepier it felt.

* * *

As they crawled their way through the vents to the 14th floor, Batgirl and Robin were speaking softly. "So," Batgirl said. "Do you trust this Phantom guy?"

Robin shrugged. "Sure," he said. "Batman seems to. That's good enough for me. Why?"

It was Batgirl's turn to shrug. "I don't know," she said. "Do you think he's a real ghost?"

Robin shook his head. "Nah," he said. "Seems too far-fetched, to me."

"Well," Batgirl said. "There's a first time for everything." They both stopped. "Wait," she said. "Do you hear that?"

Robin froze, and listened. "No," he answered. "What?" Then he realized. It was silent. Dead silent. Even for an air vent. Then he noticed Batgirl wasn't moving. Or breathing...

Suddenly, Batgirl swung around, and faced Robin. Faster than humanly possible, and before Robin could react, Batgirl lunged at him, hissing, her eyes glowing a bood-red...

* * *

Batman quickly, and silently, made his way through the hotel. He had a device that shorted out security cameras nearby, only long enough for him to slip by unnoticed. He hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. Yet. Finally, he made it to the room. It was a large suite, large enough for several people to hold a meeting.

Listening closely, he heard several voices. He heard one voice he didn't recognize. Must have been Freakshow. He then heard other voices. One was a slightly muffled, mechanical voice. ' _Mr Freeze,'_ Batman thought. Another voice. A deep, Spanish accent. _'Bane!'_ Those were the only voices he heard. How did Bane and Mr Freeze get inside the hotel? They definitely stood out in crowd. They must have used the service elevator.

The fact that Bane and Freeze were here confirmed that Phantom had right in suspecting Freakshow was up to something no good. He listened closer. While he couldn't make out everything, he could make out certain things.

" _\- certain that this ghost technology will help my research to save my beloved wife, Nora?"_ Freeze asked.

"- _guarantee anything; I'm no scientist,"_ Freakshow replied. _"Even so, any advance, not matter how small, is worth looking into,"_ Freeze said.

Bane's voice was very easy to hear. _"I do not care about your wife, Freeze. But I am willing to listen if you genuinely believe this 'ectoplasm', as you call it, can boost my Venom, Freakshow. Any advantage I can get over the Bat is worth a little dirty work."_ Batman scowled. This wasn't good. Bane was deadly enough as it was. He didn't need to get any stronger. Freeze was just in it to help his frozen wife, as usual.

 _"-you're voice down,"_ Freakshow hissed. A long pause followed for several minutes.

" _Ah, Lydia,"_ Freakshow finally said. _"-were right, dear man. We have visitors! So wonderful of you to catch the two brats, my dear!"_ Batman's eyes widened. Wasting not time, he kicked the door down. He rushed into the room to see Freakshow, Freeze and Bane with who he assumed was Lydia floating next to them.

Freeze was expecting this, and blasted Batman with a freeze ray from his gun, freezing him in a block of ice from the neck down. "Ha, HA!" crowed Freakshow. "Victor, Bane, my friends! You were so right! The Dark Knight Come-eth! You're reputation precedes you! And I'm so pleased to see you and I share a fondness for dark and creepy attire!" He took off his hat, and bowed dramatically. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Freakshow, ringmaster, owner, and proprietor of Circus Gothica!"

"What exactly are you doing here in Gotham?" Batman asked.

Freakshow grinned. It reminded him of the Joker's grin. "Oh," he said. "I'm so glad you asked, because I wanted to waste all of our time explaining my evil plot! And you have such good timing! We just found your little brats sneaking around the air ducts!" He snapped his fingers, and Bane stepped aside, his massive frame moving to reveal Batgirl and Robin standing behind him. The two weren't tied up; they were just standing there, a dull gaze in their eyes. Their eyes... They were glowing red!

"What have you done to them?" asked Batman.

"I haven't done a thing. Yet," answered Freakshow. "It was my lovely assistant, Lydia. For a ghost, she can work wonders that will send shivers down your spine!"

Batman narrowed his eyes. "That's how you got out of prison so quickly," he surmised. "You had your assistant... posses the judge so you would could get released early. And you somehow got into contact with these two for some reason, and set up this meeting."

Freakshow applauded. "Bravo, Dark Knight," he said. "You're abilities as a detective are not to be scoffed at." He then turned to Bane. "Bane, my large friend," he said. "Would you please escort our caped crime-fighter to the service elevator?"

Bane grunted. "Why not just kill them now?" he asked.

"Bane," Freakshow said. "If we kill them here in the hotel, with all of our DNA at the crime scene, the GCPD will be after us all! While I love an audience, I'm not suicidal. We should get rid of them in a more... discreet manner. We'll take them back to the train yard. We can rid ourselves of them there, and be on our way to Amity Park tonight."

Bane shrugged, and leaned over Batman. "Soon, Bat," he growled. "Soon, I will break you once and for all."

"Don't count on it," Batman replied. In response, Bane slammed his huge fist at Batman's head, knocking him out. Bane picked up the block of ice, and lead the way to the service elevator, Freeze, Lydia, Freakshow and the two junior crime fighters in tow. Outside, Bane's henchman had a large delivery van waiting. Climbing inside, they signaled to the driver, and pulled away from the hotel.

* * *

After driving for what seemed like an eternity, even in Gotham traffic, the three criminals thought they should have arrived at they train yard by now. "What is taking so long?" asked Freakshow. "I've never been to Gotham before, but Lydia and I got to the hotel in less time than it's taking us to get back."

Then, the van pulled to a stop. The driver peaked through the window into the back, removing their Bane-gang mask to reveal a woman with chalk-white skin and hair that was died jet black on one side and blood red on the other. "We're right on schedule, honey-pops!" the woman replied in a high-pitched voice.

"It's that clown witch!" shouted Freeze. Before anyone could react, the van filled with gas, causing everyone to pass out, except Lydia and Freeze, who looked around in confusion. Bane then flopped over, pinning Freeze to the floor of the van. "Gah!" grunted Freeze, who couldn't budge Bane's prone form. "Get off me, you gargantuan oaf!"

The back of the van opened, and several armed thugs in clown masks pulled everyone out and tied them up. Lydia frowned, and prepared to attack. "Ah, ah, ah," came a voice from the crowd. "I wouldn't if I were you!" A man wearing a purple, green, and orange suit walked up, with a chalk white face, deranged eyes, green hair, and a sickening smile.

"You try anything, and your ring master will get a bullet in the skull," the man said, pointing a pistol at the passed out Freakshow. "Hmm, not sure why the gas didn't affect you, but hey, that's comedy! Right, Harley?"

Harley Quinn stumbled out of the van, woozy. "Yup," she slurred. "I don't know what ya put in that gas, Mistah J, but, MAN! Does it work!" She spun around once, and promptly face-planted on the ground.

* * *

Freakshow felt someone slap his face. He groaned as he woke up. "Where am I?" he asked. As his vision cleared, he saw a man with a sick smile on his face.

"Where are you?" the man said, before bursting into a fit of laughter. "You're in my world, now, ringmaster."

"The Joker," spat Freakshow. "I don't recall inviting you to my little get together. Why have you captured me?"

Joker just laughed harder. "Hello!" he exclaimed, gesturing to himself. "I'm the Clown Prince of Crime! You think a creepy circus roles into my town without me noticing? That's my thing! You're the pretender!"

"Please," Freakshow said rolling his eyes and sounding insulted. "I'm a ringmaster, not some lowly clown. You should be working for me! Of course, you'd have to change you're look. Too many bright colors. How does basic black leather sound?"

"That's where your wrong, Freaky," Joker said, smirking. "I make my audience smile. You just make them sick! Besides, there's only room for one anemic, homicidal nut-case at the top. Me!" Laughing, Joker turned to leave.

"Wait!" Freakshow shouted. "Where is Lydia? Where is my assistant?"

Joker waved him off. "Don't worry," he said. "No one's touched her. No one can, for some reason! But she won't try anything, not as long as there is a chance you'll be killed! Which, in all honesty, is probably going to happen anyway! Toodle-Loo!" With that, he laughed like a mad-man, leaving Freakshow with his thoughts, noticing two heavily armed guards walk in.

* * *

"Time to wake up, sweet prince."

Batman heard the Joker's voice, bringing him back to reality. He noticed he was still half frozen, yet. He still couldn't move his arms. "Joker," he growled. "I should have know you'd be in on this, somehow."

Joker laughed. "Hardly," he crowed. "I'm just awesome at taking opportunities when they arise. I heard about some creepy circus train roll into town, had Harley follow the owner to the Gotham Royal, and, BOOM! Here we are! Really, Bats, I thought you knew me so well!"

"Don't think you're going to get away with this," Batman said.

"Oh, put a sock in it," Joker spat. "Like I have anything to worry about. I have you, and you're two little Bat-brats."

Batman looked around. "Where are Bane and Freeze?" he asked his arch-nemesis.

Joker shrugged. "Freeze left. I had no reason to keep him around. No sense of humor on that guy! Bane, on the other hand, is still here; snoozing like a 500 pound baby! I've mixed some of my knock-out formula in with his Venom. He'll be out for hours!" Joker started laughing, slapping his knee. "I've even got one of my guys filming it, streaming it live on Youtube!"

Batman didn't share the levity. He was about to ask about Batgirl and Robin, when a loud scream came from another part of Joker's hideout. "Mistah J! Mistah J! Mistah J!" Harley came running into the room, disheveled and trembling, her comically large hammer snapped in half.

"What? What? What?" asked Joker. Harley pointed out into the main area of the compound.

"There's a ghost out there," she whimpered, hiding behind him.

"A ghost?" he asked, chuckling. "Really, Harley. You expect me to believe our hide-out is haunted? By whom? The snitch I killed last week?"

Harley shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "But he's got snow white hair and glowing green eyes! And he looks like a kid!"

"So you're telling me we're being haunted by a ghost kid with old-man hair?" Joker asked. "I think all that gas in the van may have been too much for you, Harley." He then suddenly slapped her hard, knocking her down. "Luckily, I know the cure."

Before anymore could be said, gunfire sounded, followed by yells of, "Ghost! Run!"

"Oh, for Heaven's sake," Joker sighed. "How's a homicidal maniac supposed to enjoy killing his arch-nemesis around here?" He turned to Batman. "Be right back!" As Joker left the room, Harley looked up at Batman, before she lost consciousness, and saw something she never thought she'd see. Batman smirked.

* * *

Danny grinned as he watched as Harley Quinn ran screaming out of the main part of the compound. Danny had followed the mysterious van after it pulled out of the Gotham Royal. Batman had left his communicator on when he busted into Freakshow's hotel room. Danny heard everything that was said. When he heard Freakshow tell Bane to take Batman to the van, Danny realized he needed to follow them, rather than start a fight in a busy hotel.

He was confused when the van took an unusual route, not heading for the train yard. When the van pulled into a seemingly abandoned warehouse, Danny knew something was wrong. He hung back, invisible, to watch the seen unfold with Joker and Harley Quinn. Once the prisoners were hauled away by Joker's men, Freeze left, not seeing any profit in staying. Danny formulated his plan. He saw several guards around Lydia, who was floating, looking unsure about what to do. She didn't want to put Freakshow in danger by trying to attack. Harley Quinn was still trying to regain her senses from the gas filled van.

Danny remained invisible, and quickly sucked Lydia into the Fenton Thermos, startling the guards. Danny then quickly knocked them out with two straight fists. Harley got up, and rubbed her head. "Oh, boy," she muttered. "What a night..." She was definitely dangerous, and Danny could sense through her aura that she wasn't in her right mind. Definitely a psychopath, like her boss.

With that in mind, and not wanting to hit a girl, (Ember and Spectra not withstanding), Danny decided to take it easy on her. He floated in front of her, his hood up, and his white cloak billowing. His ghostly aura lighting the room in an unnatural white glow. Harley jumped at Danny's sudden appearance. She pulled out a massive hammer seemingly out of nowhere.

"Hey," she shouted. "Who the hack are you?"

Danny pulled his hood down, revealing his glowing green eyes and white hair. "I'm Phantom," he said, his voice echoing. "And I'd run, if I were you."

Ignoring his comment, Harley said, "Nah. I'm just gonna whack ya like a mole!" She swung her hammer as hard as she could, but it just passed harmlessly through him. Harley blinked several times, and swung again. And again. And again. Nothing! "Wha-? Why can't I hit you?"

Danny chuckled her comment. "You can't hurt a ghost," he said.

Harley squeaked at his explanation. "A gh-gh-ghost?" she stammered.

Danny nodded. "And you can't hurt me, but I can hurt you!" He grabbed her hammer from her, and broke it in half over his knee with a large _CRACK_! He tossed the pieces back to her. Harley screamed at the top of her lungs, her hair standing up on end, as she bolted from the room.

Danny covered his mouth, laughing hard. After a moment, Danny heard Batman over his ear piece. _"Phantom, Joker's heading you're way. Be ready. He likes to talk; don't let him get to you."_

Danny turned invisible. "Oh," he said. "I'll be ready."

As if on cue, Joker burst into the middle of the room, looking around. Seeing nothing, he shrugged. "Huh," he grunted. "A ghost, my left butt-cheek." He turned around to see Danny Phantom floating before him, causing him to jump, slightly.

Joker pulled out a gun, but Danny swatted it away. Danny then blasted Joker in the chest with a ghost ray. Joker fell to the floor, groaning. Standing up, he said, "Who do you think you are?"

Danny shrugged. "I'm the Phantom that's gonna bring you down, Bozo."

Joker's smile left his face for a moment. "Don't call me that, you impudent brat," he spat. "Dead or not, if it's a whuppin' you're-a-wantin', it's a whoopin' you're-a-gettin'!"

He pulled out a razor, and charged Danny, who simply caught his arm, and kicked Joker between the legs. "Oof! What are you... doing?" the clown groaned.

"Fighting dirty," Danny said simply. "I do that from time to time!" He then pushed Joker away.

Joker rubbed his aching groin, while his smile returned. "Funny guy," he growled.

"Honestly," Danny said. "I couldn't say the same about you. You're pretty lame for a clown!"

At that Joker lost his smile again. Scowling, his charged Danny who turned intangible. "Little creep," Joker shouted. "Who do you think you are?"

Danny floated several feet way. "Oh, I don't know," he said, smiling. "Someone who's _way_ better at making puns and witty banter than you."

Joker had had enough. He pulled out another gun. "Shut your trap!" Firing his gun at the ghost, Joker watched as the bullets said right through Danny, who turned intangible once more, floating higher in the air.

"I'm guessing you and Batman don't have that many long conversations, huh?" Danny commented. "Maybe that's why you're so fixated on him." He shot another ghost ray at Joker, knocking the gun from his hand.

Joker snarled. "Don't bother playing psychiatrist with me, Casper!"

Danny shrugged. "I honestly don't need a degree in some boring field to read you like an open book!" Danny had learned a lot from his big sister, Jazz. She was studying to become a psychologist, and Danny had to listen to plenty of boring things from her. Danny then vanished, leaving only his voice to be heard. "The real reason you keep doing what you're doing is because you can't make Batman, or anyone else, for that matter, smile."

The Joker began searching for the source of the voice. "I'm not hearing this," Joker said, worry creeping into his voice.

"Get a clue," Phantom said. "Batman has no sense of humor. He's called the Dark Knight, not the Smiling Fool! I don't think you could even make someone laugh if you payed them too!"

Joker gasped at the insult. "Shut up, SHUT UP," he began yelling. He looked around frantically. "Show yourself, brat" he ordered.

"Actually," Phantom continued. "You make me laugh a little. But only out of pity. You're kinda pathetic, for a super-criminal!" Danny then began laughing, mocking the Joker.

"Stop that," Joker screamed. "How dare you laugh at me!"

Danny continued his laughing, and said, "Why? I thought evil clowns like you wanted to make the good guys laugh!"

"You're not a good guy!" Joker howled.

"Oh, I beg to differ," Danny said. Returning to the visible spectrum, Danny whispered behind Joker's ear, "Boo!"

Joker shrieked, and spun around, only to be introduced to Danny's fist. The clown dropped like a sack of potatoes, unconscious. Danny rubbed his wrist. "That was so cool!"

"Impressive." Suddenly, Batman walked into the room, and unconscious Harley Quinn slung over his shoulder. Behind him were Batgirl and Robin, both still shaken from being over-shadowed, with a handcuffed Freakshow in tow. "I've never seen anyone get inside Joker's head like that before," Batman said. "Nice work."

* * *

Later, the GCPD arrived to take the criminals into custody. Batman explained that Freakshow spilled the beans about his plot to take Bane and Freeze back to Amity Park with him to take out Danny Phantom, in exchange for ghost-based weaponry, and that Joker and Harley Quinn were being taken back to Arkham, both rambling on about being haunted by a phantom. Freakshow was facing an even longer prison charges, as was Bane. Mr Freeze was still at large, but Batman would catch him soon enough.

The four heroes were on the roof where Danny's Specter Speeder was still cloaked. "Thank you for your help, guys," Danny said.

"You're welcome," said Batgirl and Robin. Batman just nodded. "So where are you going now?" the Dark Knight asked. "Back to Amity Park?"

Danny nodded. "Yup, I've got a long flight."

"Why did you want us to meet on this roof, specifically?" asked Batman.

Danny grinned "Well," he explained. "You have the Batmobile; I have the Specter Speeder!" He pressed a button on his belt, and the vehicle canceled out it's cloaking mode. "With this baby, I can go anywhere. In the air, underwater, and even outer-space! Well, maybe space. I haven't tried that, yet."

"Whoa, cool," said Batgirl.

"Wait, why does a ghost need a vehicle?" Robin asked.

Danny shrugged. "Why not?" he replied, not wanting to go into greater detail.

Batman stepped forward. "Have a safe trip," he said.

"Thanks," Danny nodded. "Be safe here in Gotham!" With that, he climbed inside the Speeder, waved to his new allies, and took off, heading for home.

"I so want one of those," Batgirl commented.

"No," Batman said.

"Aw, why not?" she whined. Batman glanced in the sky, seeing the Bat-signal shining. The three sighed. Some nights just wouldn't end. Without another word, the trio jumped back into action.

* * *

The trip back was uneventful for Danny, thankfully. He didn't need to go so slow getting back, so he managed to get home in under two days, bone tired. After telling his friends and his sister, Jazz, about Gotham, he all but passed out for a day and a half. When he finally rousted himself out of bed, feeling refreshed, his parents busted through the front door, grinning.

"Oh, MAN, what an awesome convention," stated Jack Fenton, Danny and Jazz's overly excitable father. "Too bad it got cut short because of rain, so we had to scurry on home! Boy, did you kids miss out, being stuck house-sitting!" Danny and Jazz exchanged a nervous glance.

Maddie Fenton, their mother, was equally excited. "London is such a nice place," she said. "But in all seriousness, kids, your father and I felt bad about making you guys stay cooped up here while we went to that convention. So, we've decided to take you kids on a trip!"

Jack held his fist up in excitement. "YES," he exclaimed. "Pack your bags kids. Road trip! We're going to Metropolis! Let you kids get a taste of big-city life!" Danny groaned, and Jazz put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "And, hey, Danny," Jack continued. "Maybe we'll get a chance to meet you're hero, Big Blue himself, Superman! Would that be cool, or what?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All rights to characters, and locations in this story go to their respective owners; DC Comics, and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this story is for fun, not for money or profit of any kind.**

 **Thank you all for your wonderful reviews!**

 **Chapter 4: Big Trouble in a Bigger City**

* * *

The Fenton Family Assault Vehicle, or rather, the Fetnon Family RV, was rocketing down the highway. Danny was passed out in the back, bored out of his mind. Here, he had just gotten back from Gotham City helping Batman take down Freakshow, and now he was stuck with his parents and his sister on a road trip to Metropolis.

Hopefully, there would be no ghost trouble, and he could try to relax. Although the prospect of meeting Superman was cool, Danny just wanted to unwind. And visiting one of the largest cities in the world was not a good start! Jazz looked up from her book in sympathy at her little brother. Their parents were busy in the front with the map. "Danny," she said softly. "Try to relax! Last time I checked, there were no ghost in Metropolis! When was the last time you heard of Superman trading punches with Skulker?"

Danny sighed. "I suppose your right," he admitted. "I just hope there's no trouble, ghost or otherwise. I'm kind of a magnet. And not a chick-magnet!"

"Kids," shouted Jack. "We're here! And in record time, too!" Danny and Jazz looked out the window, and saw the Metropolis skyline come into view! "Oh, who am I kidding," Danny said. "This is pretty sweet!" As they pulled off the interstate, the skyscrapers seemed to go on forever. The City of Tomorrow was every bit as spectacular as one would think.

"Oh, isn't this city nice," commented Maddie, dreamily. Jack grinned. "It sure is," he said. "Remember when we took our honeymoon here?"

"You guys honeymooned here in Metropolis?" asked Jazz. "That's so romantic!" Danny gagged. "Ew," he said. "Change the channel!" Jazz swatted Danny upside the head.

* * *

Clark Kent, aka Kal-El of Krypton, mild-mannered reporter and super hero, was having a pleasant day, for once. He and his fellow reporter/wife, Lois Lane, were having breakfast at their favorite cafe. Clark pushed his glasses further up his nose as he looked over the menu. It was nice to have a quiet, slow day off for once. The two finally managed to ware down their boss, Perry White, into letting them have the same day off.

"So, Smallville," Lois said, using her pet nickname for Clark. "How have things been lately, at your 'other' job?"

Clark smirked, putting his menu down. "Quiet, for now," he replied. "I think our bald friend might be taking time off, too." He was referring to Lex Luthor, his long-time nemesis. The billionaire had been very quiet, actually. He was in the middle of a major business deal, and it was driving Lex crazy, trying to get the fine-print worked out. Clark chuckled at the thought of the criminal master mind sweating, and actually running his company, LexCorp, for once, instead of scheming for world domination.

"Good," Lois said. She couldn't stand Lex Luthor. "Have you heard from Kara, lately? She hasn't called in a while." Kara Zor-El was Clark's cousin from his doomed home planet of Krypton. Like Clark's parents, Kara's parents had sent their baby into space before Krypton imploded. Unfortunately, her pod had taken a longer course to reach Earth than Kal-El's. As such, she landed years after Clark had. Her pod had been programmed to implant a full Kryptonian education while she was in suspended hyper-sleep, as she grew inside. When she finally landed on Earth, she was already 19.

Clark had taken her to his Fortress of Solitude, and sorted everything out with his cousin, as her powers matured under Earth's yellow sun. Once she was a little more able to adapt to Earth, he sent her to live with his adopted parents, the Kents, for a couple of years, before she came to live with Clark and Lois. Powerful, smart, arrogant, and more than a little stubborn, Kara Zor-El, aka Karen Starr, had grown into a vibrant young woman. She became a hero, like Clark. But wanting to make a name for herself, rather than, in her words, mooch off of her cousin's legacy, she chose the name Power Girl, and refused to wear the symbol of the House of El, the large 'S' Superman wore on his chest. Now 25, Karen had moved to New York City, and was the owner of a small computer lab company called Starr-Ware Industries.

"She's doing great, last time we talked," Clark said. "She's been busy; she moved into a larger apartment. She said she's got a room mate, too. And she even has a cat!" Lois rolled her eyes at that. She didn't care for cats. Kara probably got a cat just to smite her beloved 'Aunt-Lois'.

"Lucky her," she teased. "I wish we could move into a larger place."

Clark looked startled. "What's wrong with our place?" he asked. Clark had never seen the point of living in a huge house. Having grown up on a humble farm in Kansas, he never had a taste for classy or lavish things. Money never held much interest for the Man of Steel. He made enough as a reporter, and was quite content with their current apartment.

Lois looked at her husband oddly. "What's wrong?" she repeated. "It's only got one bedroom, for starters! When we have company, where are they supposed to sleep? The kitchen? Remember when Kara lived with us? She had to sleep on the couch!"

Before Clark could answer, an unusual vehicle drove past, caught in traffic. It was a large, silver, tank-tread wheeled thing, with a stylized green "F" painted on the side. "What a weird vehicle," Lois commented. Clark frowned. It looked military. Using his X-Ray vision, he dared to peek inside. What he saw surprised him. A regular family.

His sensitive hearing picked up the conversations inside. _"Oh, darn this traffic!"_ said the large man, who Clark assumed was the father. _"Calm, down, honey,"_ replied the mother. _"If I remember right, the hotel was two blocks down."_ Clark looked over at the two teens in the back. _"Oh, man,"_ said the boy, who face-palmed. _"I never realized how terrible a driver Dad is in a big City!"_ The young girl sitting next to him made a similar gesture. _"Tell me about it,"_ she grumbled. _"I'm never going to complain about the bad drivers in Amity Park, again."_ Smiling, Clark turned his attention away, not seeing a threat from a family in a strange vehicle, although he did file it away in the back of his mind.

* * *

After checking in at the hotel, the Fenton's were out walking around the big city. They had stopped by the big Superman statue in the park nearby, and were checking out some of the stores for souvenirs. Looking at a snow globe of the Daily Planet, Danny's super hearing picked up something from a little ways away. It was someone screaming! He also picked up a low growl, and a large crash.

' _Really?'_ Danny thought. He sighed, and nudged Jazz. "Hey, Jazz," he whispered. "I think I heard something. Cover for me?" Jazz glanced around. Maddie was window shopping, while Jack was buying a fudge platter.

"Leave it to me," Jazz whispered back. Danny nodded his thanks, and took off through the crowd. He ducked into an alley, and changed into his Phantom form!

* * *

Clark and Lois were walking home, when Clark's super hearing picked up something from several blocks away. Screaming! He also heard a deep growl, followed by what sounded like a wall breaking. He turned to Lois. "Trouble," he told her. Lois nodded; this was nothing new. Clark ducked into the alley, and in less than a second, Superman flew off towards the sound.

* * *

Danny Phantom arrived at the spot where the noise came from, the Metropolis City Bank. The front wall was caved in. Danny floated for a moment. What could cause this? "Hey!" A shout came from above. Danny looked up, and saw Superman himself hovering above him! "Whoa," Danny said in awe. Superman crossed his arms over his large chest. He wore all blue, with a long, bright red cape. He also wore matching red boots. On his waist was a red and yellow belt.

"Care to explain yourself, son?" Superman asked.

Danny blinked. "Wha-What?" he stammered. Superman raised an eyebrow and glanced at the demolished wall. "Oh," Danny said. "Whoa! What? No! Wait a minute! I didn't- No, way! Never! I didn't do this!"

Superman frowned at Danny's stammering. "Walls on banks just don't implode," he said.

Danny looked like he was about to freak. "You gotta believe me!" he shouted. "I just heard the crash and screams, and I came rushing over!" The two were eye-to-eye, when another low growl came from inside, causing the two heroes to glance toward the noise. More screams accompanied the growl. Sharing one more glance the two went to investigate.

* * *

Inside, the bank was shambles. Several people ran out of the other rooms, scared, but unharmed. A loud crash came from the vaults, and Danny and Superman rushed in to see a large, white haired, gray skinned monster of a man filling a bag with money. "Solomon Grundy," Superman exclaimed. The zombie slowly turned around, snarling. "What are you doing here?" Superman asked.

"Money," Grundy growled. "Lot's of it."

Danny looked unimpressed. "You know," he said. "You could have just made a withdrawl like a normal person. No need to make a scene if you're low on cash." Grundy snarled at the comment, before returning to his task. Superman flew forward, and grabbed Grundy, throwing him through the wall.

Grundy shoved Superman away, and stood up, snarling. "Grundy kill you," he growled. Danny flew up and shot a ghost ray, causing the behemoth to double over, shocked at feeling pain. "Boy hurt Grundy?" the zombie asked in disbelief. Danny grinned. His ghost energy must be able to affect Grundy more than fists. Solomon Grundy then bellowed, charging at Danny, pulling a butcher knife from his back. "Grundy kill!"

Danny turned intangible, the beasts blows passing harmlessly through him, much to Danny's relief. "Hey, Grundy! Pick on someone your own size!" Superman shot his heat vision at Grundy, burning off part of his tattered jacket. The smell of the zombie was over-whelming! Like rotting meat! Grundy grunted. Turning slowly to the Man of Steel, he said, "Grundy's boss say show Cape Man glowing rock!"

Grundy reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small, brightly glowing green rock. Superman winced upon seeing the rock. "Unnh," he groaned, falling to one knee. "Kryptonite... Where did... you get that, Grundy?"

Danny gasped as he saw Superman go down. "Not on my watch," he said. Danny then flew up, and grabbed the Kryptonite from Grundy. Danny focused his energy into the rock, reducing it to ash.

The effects of the Kryptonite leaving him, Superman stood up. Grundy took a step back. "Uh-oh," he said. Frowning, Superman launched himself at Grundy, giving him an uppercut so massive, it blew Grundy several stories into the air. As Grundy came back down, Danny shot him with several more blasts of his ghost rays, leaving Grundy crumpled in a heap.

Superman came up behind Danny. "Sorry I wrongly accused you, kid," he apologized.

Danny shrugged. "No problem," he said. "I'm used to that sort of thing by now. And the name is Danny Phantom, not 'Kid'."

Superman smirked. "Of course," he said. "Danny it is. So, what brings you to Metropolis I've never seen you around here, before."

Danny rubbed his neck, shyly. He couldn't believe he was talking to Superman! "Uh...," he started.

Superman held up a hand. "Before you answer, let's talk somewhere a little more private," he said, taking off. Danny noticed the large group of people and police officers arriving on the scene.

"What about Grundy? And where did he get Kryptonite from?" he asked, catching up to Superman, who had landed on the roof of the Daily Planet building.

"The police can handle him," Superman answered. "Grundy and I have tangled before. My guess is, he got it from Lex Luthor. He's the only one of my enemies who isn't in jail that has access to the money to get it. Thanks for your help with the Kryptonite, by the way. I've never seen some of those powers before."

"You're welcome," Danny replied, floating up to him. "I'm, uh, not your run of the mill superhero. I'm a ghost."

Superman looked a bit taken aback by that. "A ghost, huh?" he replied. "Well, you're pretty lively for a ghost."

Danny chuckled at Superman's response to meeting a ghost. "And you're pretty lively, compared to Batman," he replied. "He was all doom and gloom, when I met him."

Superman looked thoughtful. "So," he said. "You've met the Dark Knight, too? I'll admit, he's not the most open person in the world. But he's not so bad, once you get to know him. Anyway, you were about to tell me why you've come to Metropolis."

Danny nodded. "Oh, yeah," he said. "I was actually here on a vacation, of sorts. Then, I heard the screams, and I couldn't just sit by, doing nothing."

Superman nodded, impressed. Maybe the kid was alright, after all. "Well, then," he said, smiling. "Don't let me keep you from your vacation any longer." Superman held out his large hand. "I hope I count on your help again, someday."

Danny was floored. He shook Superman's hand, gratefully. "Count on it, sir," he said.

Superman grinned. "Actually," he said. "My friends call me Kal." Danny beamed. Superman actually called him a friend! Before he could say anything, a large shadow suddenly loomed over the city, appearing as if out of no-where. Looking up in awe at the city-sized ship, Danny asked, "What is that?"

Superman was equally shocked, before realizing who the ship belonged to. "Brainiac," he growled.

All across the world, similar ships began to appear. Across every language, a transmission was broadcast. "Attention, people of Earth," came a steady, robotic voice. "Your world now belongs to Brainiac. I have located specific areas of useful knowledge. These, I shall assimilate. Of course, some... unneeded information, such as human life, will inevitably be assimilated, as well. These shall be eliminated. Your way of life is at it's end. Attempting to defend yourselves will only hasten your own destruction. In the end, all shall belong to Brainiac."

"Not on my watch," Superman said. He took off at full speed towards the ship, only to be blasted back to the ground by an energy field. Grunting, Superman got back up. "So," he said. "Brainiac has learned. Great."

Danny flew down to Superman. "What do we do now?" he asked the Man of Steel.

Superman regarded him grimly. "We need to get as many people to safety as we can," he said. "Get as many people away from libraries, schools, hospitals, office buildings, government facilities, television and radio stations, and laboratories as fast as we can. Those are what Brainiac will be targeting first, and attempt to bottle them. Try to get people into places like Hotels, or down into sewers if you have to. Brainiac will ignore those places. For now."

Danny nodded. "Then what are we waiting for?" he asked. "Let's get to work!" The two flew off, funneling people away from buildings that Brainiac was targeting. This was a tall order, but the two heroes convinced the police to assist them, making it a little easier. According to Superman, they had planned, on some level, for something like this. "Freeze, spook!" came an unexpected shout behind Danny.

' _Crap,'_ Danny thought. ' _I forgot about my parents! And Jazz!'_

Danny swung around to see his parents leveling their ghost weapons at him! "Taking advantage of an alien invasion to spread your chaos?" Jack questioned. "You ghosts make me sick!"

Maddie glared as she pointed her bazooka at Danny's head. "Prepare to be atomized, Phantom," she said.

"Mom! Dad! No!" Jazz slid in between their parents and Danny. "This isn't the time for this! We're being invaded!"

"Outta the way, Jazzy-pants," Jack said. "This punk must have done something with Danny! He's been missing all morning! Funny, how Phantom shows up when Metropolis is being invaded. After we take care of Phantom, we'll find your brother, and get the heck out of town."

Danny took a shuddering breath, his mind racing. He had to do something to get his family to safety. He then knew what he had to do.

Taking a deep breath, he landed on the ground, and pushed Jazz out of the way. "I know this may be hard to believe," he said, slowly, his voice shaking nervously. "But I am your son." Danny let the two rings of light travel the length of his body, leaving Danny Fenton in his place.

Jack and Maddie gasped, and dropped their guns. "But how-? When did-? A trick-? Did we-?" The two were asking questions at the same time.

"Guys!" Danny shouted. "Alien Invasion! Remember?"

Jack shook his head. "Danny," he said softly, crouching down to his son. "Why didn't you tell us? We would have understood!"

Jazz scoffed. "Oh, I don't know," she said. "How about all the times you guys talked about ripping him apart, molecule-by-molecule?"

Their parents looked at each other, sheepishly. Maddie then pulled her son into a hug. "Oh, my boy," she said. "I can't tell you how sorry we are! You must have been terrified!"

"You guys should be sorry," Jazz scolded. "Since he got his powers, Danny has been doing nothing but good! And you guys have treated his super hero side as a villain!"

Jack lowered his head, guilty. "I know," he said. "But, Danny, I just want you to know, your mother and I will support your superhero stuff from here on out. Whatever you need, we'll do what we can."

Danny couldn't be more shocked. Happy! But shocked. He couldn't believe they accepted him! He held his parents in a big hug. "Thanks, guys," he said. Then, an explosion ended the family moment.

"Oh, yeah," Jack said. "Alien invasion."

Danny looked around. "Guys," he said. "I gotta help Superman stop this!"

Jack and Maddie glanced at each other. "Alright, Danny" Maddie said. "What do you need us to do?"

Danny shook his head, still having trouble believing his parents were on his side. "I need you guys to get somewhere safe," he explained. "And try to help get people to safety. Try and get them away from libraries, schools, and hospitals; Superman said Brainiac will be going after places of knowledge first."

Jack nodded. "You got it, son!" he exclaimed.

Maddie hugged Danny once more. "Be safe, Danny," she whispered.

Danny returned the hug. "You, too," he said. With that, Danny shouted, "I'm going Ghost!" The two bright rings appeared again, and he returned to his Phantom form. Giving one more smile to his family, he blasted off, making a sonic boom.

"Oh, MAN, that is cool!" Jack explained. "I can't believe my son is a superhero!"

Maddie grabbed her husband's arm. "Jack, focus," she ordered. "Come on, Jazz! There are people that need help! Jack! Go get the Fenton Family Assault Vehicle!"

The battle for Earth had begun.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All rights to characters, locations, etc. belongs to their respective owners, DC Comics, and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing. This is for fun, not for money or profit of any kind.**

 **I see some of you were surprised about the reveal to Danny's parents! GOOD! It was supposed to be a shock! I did that because I saw no logical way Danny could still be a League member, and his parents not knowing. Sometimes, the League is away from Earth for some time. And sometimes, for example, Danny would need to be on monitor duty. He would be away from home way too often for them not to notice. It would be different if Danny's family was killed in Ultimate Enemy, but I'm not fond of sad, mopey, dark Danny. I try to keep my Danny Phantom stories as close to canon as possible. Although, I must tell you now that the DP storyline will be heading into AU territory from here on out, for obvious reasons. Just a friendly heads up.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: WAR: Part I**

Superman and Danny Phantom were attempting to break through Brainiac's shielding surrounding the massive ship. Down on the ground, the police, with the help from the Fenton family, were busy shuttling civilians to safety. Superman was convinced that Brainiac himself was in the ship above Metropolis. "Why do you think he's in this ship, instead of any of the others around the world?" Danny asked the Man of Steel.

"Because I know Brainiac," he replied. "He's a nightmare from my past. And, he wants revenge on me, personally. Even though he's a machine, he still has an ego." Superman blasted his heat vision at the shield. The shield frizzled, but remained strong. "It's no use," Superman said. "We won't get through that shielding. We need a new plan."

Suddenly, a platoon of Brainiac soldier drones flew out of the ship, towards the two. "Well," Superman said. "Looks like we got his attention."

Danny smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he said, cracking his knuckles. The two flew up to engage the drones. Superman ripped several of the soldiers apart with ease, their blasts not fazing him. Danny was following suit, the drones strikes, and blasts going right through him. Danny punched one of the drones, it's head shattering. "I thought alien robots were tougher than this," Danny said.

"They are" Superman said. "These are just the drones; Brainiac is just testing us. He won't expend more energy than he has to in order to take down an enemy. Don't forget, he still thinks in computer terms." Superman used his ice breath, freezing several more drones. While they were distracted with the drones, a larger, meaner version of the drones blasted Superman and Danny, causing them to fall to a nearby rooftop.

They landed with a grunt. The Subjugator-class drone erected an electrified field around them The Subjugator then relayed a transmission feed to the heroes. "Kal-El," Brainiac said. "We meet again. When will you realize your existence is no longer necessary? I contain the some of Kryptonian knowledge. I _am_ Krypton."

Superman glared. "And _I_ am it's last son!" He strained against the field, but to no avail. Brainiac intensified the electricity, forcing Superman to his knees. Danny growled, and gritted his teeth through the pain. He blasted his ghost ray at the shield. The field began to weaken.

"Strange," Brainiac said, taking notice of Phantom for the first time. "Unknown energy signature detected. Fascinating. It is something I have not yet encountered. It has qualities I do not possess. Thus, I must acquire it for myself." Brainiac intensified the electricity coursing through the heroes. Danny and Superman yelled in agony.

Then, Danny remembered something. Through the pain, he thought, _'_ _Duh; I'm a ghost!'_ Gathering his wits, he phased through the roof. Once he was out of the field's influence, he appeared behind the Subjugator. He phased his fist through the robot's head, causing it to collapse. The field vanished, and Superman stood up.

"Nice work," he said to Danny. "But now he's interested in you. That's bad."

Danny shrugged. "What was I supposed to do? Let him win?"

Superman shook his head. "Don't get me wrong," he said. "I'm glad you did what you did. Just be on your guard. He'll be after you, now, too."

The pair glanced up, and saw two more Subjugator drones flying towards them. Bracing for another fight, the got ready to meet the robots before they touched down. Before they could, however, a red and white blur came into view, and ripped the robots into pieces in the blink of an eye. The robots destroyed, the figure landed in front of the two. And what a figure it was! Danny's jaw almost hit the floor, as he saw a tall blonde woman, with quite possibly the most magnificent pair of breasts he had ever seen, land on the roof.

She was taller than most women, but shorter than Superman. She had deep blue eyes like his, and her blonde hair was cropped short in an edgy bob cut that framed her face. She wore a long sleeved white one piece, with her legs bare. She had blue gloves and matching blue boots. Over her left shoulder hung a bright red cape, clasped with a golden rope, along with a matching belt. But all that paled in comparison to her chest. Instead of a logo, like many heroes wore, she had an open hole in her top that showed off her ample cleavage.

Her figure was well muscled, yet still feminine. She had a cocky smile on her face that screamed, _"Bring it on! Fight me!"_ She strode over to the two heroes. Without warning, she grabbed Superman in a big hug. "Hey, Kal," she said. "Good to see you! I came here to see if I could help. I know how helpless you can be, 'Cuz."

Superman chuckled. "You came just in time, Kara," he said, returning the hug. "But what about New York?"

The woman, Kara, shrugged. "I was having similar trouble. Atlee has the evacuation in hand." Kara glanced over Superman's shoulder at Danny, who was blushing fiercely, and rubbing the back of his neck, trying desperately to look anywhere but at the woman's chest. "Uh, Kal," she said. "Who's the pip-squeak?"

That got Danny's attention. "Hey! I'm not a pip-squeak! See this," he exclaimed, pointing at his small bicep. "This is totally all muscle!"

Superman chuckled, amused at the kid's fire. "Danny," he said. "I'd like you to meet my cousin. She goes by Power Girl." He turned to Power Girl. "Kara, this is Danny Phantom. He was helping me out here in Metropolis with Solomon Grundy before Brainiac invaded. And he's no slouch; he's as tough as they come."

Power Girl crossed her arms. "Uh-huh," she said, cocking an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'll be the judge of that." She strode over to Danny, who once again began blushing. "So, kid," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Aren't you a little young to be doing this kinda work?"

Danny frowned as he floated up to meet her at eye level. "You shouldn't underestimate me, lady," he said threateningly. "I'm tougher than I look. Besides, not all of us have a physique carved outta steel. I may not be as big as you; but I guarantee: You tangle with me, and you won't walk away."

Power Girl continued to size the kid up. She pouted her lips slightly in thought. "Yeah," she eventually admitted. "He's plenty tough."

Danny chuckled, and rubbed his neck, nervously. "Thanks," he said. "I'm actually pleased to meet you! I don't often get to work with heroes as tough and pretty as you!" He held out his hand. Smirking, Power Girl took his hand, and squeezed, hard, with a grip that would crush most people's hands. Danny didn't looked like it affected him in the least. Impressed, Power Girl let his hand go.

Superman watched the whole exchange in amusement. "If you two are done," he said. "We do have an invasion to stop." His two companions turned their attention to Superman.

"What's the plan?" asked Power Girl, crossing her arms.

Superman looked thoughtful for a moment. "We need to find a way to get inside that ship," he said. "If Brainiac is taken out, even for a few moments, his forces will be stopped dead in their tracks."

"The problem with that is finding a way past that force field," Power Girl said. "No matter what we throw at it, it won't budge."

Danny thought hard about that, when an idea came to him. "What if one of us gets captured?" he suggested. "Once we're inside, we can break free and take Brainiac out!"

"Too risky," Superman said. "There's no guarantee any of us would be able to break free once inside."

Danny shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "I've gotten out of tight places before. I'm out of other ideas. Besides, Brainiac didn't seem to know what to make of me; his defenses probably aren't ghost proof."

Superman was about to reply, when his Super-hearing picked up a distress call. _"Mayday! Mayday! This is Air-Force ONE! We are under heavy fire from the invading forces! Our fighter escort has been taken down! Require immediate assistance!"_ Without saying another word, Superman launched himself into the air at full speed.

"Hey, wait!" called Danny. Glancing at Power Girl, he asked, "He ditched us?"

Power Girl shrugged. She heard the mayday, as well. "Duty calls, kid," she said, popping her neck. "Looks like it's up to us to put the beat-down on Brainiac's forces until Kal gets back." She looked over to Danny. "So," she said. "Ready to kick some butt?" Flying off towards another round of Brainiac drones on the ground, they began to clear the area.

Power Girl crushed the head of one robot under foot, while punching another drone's head clean off it's shoulders. "Making the world a better place, starting with your face," she shouted. Her eyes lit up and she blasted blue beams of heat vision at several other Brainiac drones heading her way, incinerating them.

Danny began blasting his ghost-rays at the drones. It was clear that Brainiac was growing more intrigued by Phantom, and his unusual energy. The drones were focusing a lot on him. The drones weapons, however, passed through Danny as if he wasn't there. Grinning, he shouted, "Hey, for alien robots, you don't seem to get the picture! I know I'm awesome, but you guys are worse then fan-girls!"

Power Girl ripped another drone in half, hurling the pieces away. "Really," she said to Danny. "You have fan-girls?"

Danny shrugged. "Well," he admitted. "Just one, right now. But she's kinda more of a stalker."

Power Girl rolled her eyes, as she smashed several drones with an empty car. "I know the feeling," she sighed. "Except it's usually guys after me. Usually. And they only want to look at one place on me. But if they want to degrade themselves by staring, let 'em."

Danny chuckled. "Well," he said. "You are hot, in all honesty, so I can't blame them. But my folks raised me better than to stare. Well, not for long, anyway." He made a large ball of ecto-energy, and threw it like a bowling ball at several Subjugators, blasting them away. "Four! Er, wait, that's golf. I mean, strike!" he yelled.

"You're a cheeky little guy, aren't you?" Power Girl asked, smiling. She had to admit, the young hero was stronger than she had thought. He was also kind of likable; he gave off a fun vibe, but also one of... Protection? Not that she needed protection, of course. She could decimate an entire army in a matter of minutes. But the kid seemed to radiate an air of safety, like he was out to protect everyone nearby.

"Stop calling me little!" Phantom shouted. Power Girl grinned at his irritation, before slugging him in the shoulder. It was like annoying a little brother. Maybe the kid would be fun to be around, after all. They turned back to the drone reinforcements, which had regrouped. Danny and Power Girl were making some head way, but were quickly starting to get over-whelmed by the sheer number of robots Brainiac was sending their way.

Then, without warning, a large red tornado streaking with yellow lightning began to surround the area, causing all of the nearby Brainiac drones to float into the air, crashing into each other, and into nearby buildings. Power Girl and Phantom held onto the ground for dear life, as the tornado increased in speed. The tornado began to slow down, and the shattered pieces of the invading drones fell to the ground.

Standing before them was a young man dressed head-to-toe in dark red, with yellow lightning accents. A small yellow lighting bolt logo sat on his chest, surrounded in a circle of white. Grinning at the pair, he stepped towards them. "Hey," he said, out of breath. "I'm the Flash. Looked like you could use a hand!"

* * *

Superman flew at top speed, and reached Air-Force One, which had an engine blown out and was losing altitude. He also noticed the door was blown off it's hinges. Two Brainiac fighter ships were flanking the plane, trying to capture it. Superman flew straight through one alien craft, causing it to explode, and plummet to the ground below. He then flew underneath the plane, keeping it in the air. Using his heat vision, he blew away the other attacking ship.

Another Brainiac ship appeared behind the plane, but this one began unloading flying variants of the drones. Superman did his best to fight them off, using heat vision, and kicking at them, if they got two close. His attention was on another one just behind him, so he had to turn partially in order to aim his feet vision. He then heard a sound like metal being sliced by something sharp.

Turning back around, he saw a woman with long black hair wearing an odd red, blue, and silver outfit hanging upside down onto the front wheel of the plane with her legs. Her hands free, she was slicing two of the drones with a wicked looking sword. Impressed by her skill, he smiled. "Nice save," he said. "You must be Wonder Woman. I've read about you in the news."

She nodded. "Yes," she said, still hanging upside down. "I am Diana, of Themyscira, Home of the Amazons. But the inhabitants of man's world have taken to calling me 'Wonder Woman'. You must be the so-called 'Superman' the President spoke of. You're very strong."

"I know," Superman said, smirking. "The President. Is he okay?"

Wonder Woman nodded in affirmation. "Yes," she said. "Both he, and his First Lady are fine. Shaken, but fine. I had been invited by the First Lady to meet before the invasion began. I insisted on escorting them to safety."

"What say we finish this conversation on the ground?" Superman asked. Before any more could be said, the plane was surrounded in a bright green light. It was lifted out of Superman's grasp.

"Sounds good to me," said a new voice. Turning around, Superman saw a brown haired man wearing a green and black attire, with white gloves and a green eye mask. A green light was coming from his hand, and was surrounding the plane.

Wonder Woman leaped from her perch on the wheel, surprising Superman with the ability of flight. She raised her blade to the man. "Who are you, invader?" she growled. "And why do you threaten this world?"

"Whoa, easy, sweet-cheeks! Why would I invade my own planet?" exclaimed the man. Gaining a cocky grin, he said, "The name's Green Lantern. Maybe you've heard of me?" Wonder Woman shook her head. "Oh, come on! I'm Green Lantern, dammit! Guardians of the Universe? Power Ring? Power of Will? In brightest day, in blackest night? Not ringing any bells?" Again, she shook her head. Green Lantern face-palmed. "Jeez," he muttered. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Themyscira," Wonder Woman answered, bluntly.

Lantern stared at her for several seconds confused. "Uh... What?"

Superman chuckled at the exchange. "It's alright, Diana," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "He's on our side. I've heard of the Green Lantern Corp, before. But we really should get the President to safety, before more Brainiac ships show up."

* * *

Shortly, at a secured government facility, the President and First Lady were thanking the three heroes. After being escorted inside by several heavily armed Secret Service Agents, the three heroes were planning their next move. "We need to get back to Metropolis," Superman said. "Brainiac himself is in the ship above the city; I'm sure of it. Lantern, maybe your Power Ring will be enough to get through his shielding."

"Then what are we waiting for? To battle!" exclaimed Wonder Woman, raising her blade high in the air. She took off, with Superman and Green Lantern close behind.

"That chick scares me," Lantern said.

Superman shrugged. "She's just new to our ways," he said. Grinning, Lantern stared at Wonder Woman's rear. "Scary, or not, I call dibs!" He flew ahead of Superman, up beside Wonder Woman.

"So," he said. "Like I was saying, I'm Green Lantern. You know, my ring here can create anything I can think of. And I mean anything..."

Superman groaned, and rubbed his eyes. Thank Rao Metropolis wasn't that far away. Otherwise, this was going to be a long flight...


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All rights to characters and locations belong to the respective owners, DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing here; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: WAR: Part II**

Dusk had fallen over Metropolis, as Danny Phantom and Power Girl walked over to the man who called himself 'The Flash'. The red-clad hero grinned at them. "You made a tornado?" Phantom asked. "How? Can you control the wind, or something?"

Flash shook his head. "No," he said. "I'm just fast."

Power Girl nodded. "Thanks for the save," she commented. "But we got more incoming."

A large platoon of Brainiac Subjugators flew towards them. "Well, Flash," Phantom said. "I hope you can hit as well as you can run. These guys are no push-overs in a group!"

Flash shook his head, and said, "Don't worry about me. I once took down a guy that could multiply himself." Danny glanced at Flash. He wondered if Flash fought a ghost, or just some dude with weird powers.

Power Girl and Phantom launched into the air at the oncoming wave. Several Brainiac units on the ground went after Flash, who began moving his arms in tight circles at blinding speed. Two twin twisters flowed from the movement, blowing away the units. Glancing up to see Phantom blasting several units with his ghost ray, Flash ran up the side of a building. "You know," he shouted to Danny. "These things seem to be focusing a lot on you."

"Gee," Danny said, kicking another Subjugator away. "I hadn't noticed. Thanks."

Power Girl ripped away the arms of a drone before hitting it with it's own arms. She then picked up an empty minivan and slammed it down on a couple of Brainiac drones. "I love a good fight," she shouted.

"So how are you guys planning on stopping this?" Flash asked, as he ran between several drones, causing them to fire on each other.

"I still say we let some of us get captured," Danny said. "And take him out once we're inside." Before any more could be said, a loud crash sounded behind them.

The three heroes turned to see a gigantic crab-like robot bearing Brainiac's insignia land down the block and turned towards them. It was huge! Standing well over four stories high, it glowed bright orange, with dark black metal armor. "Overseer Prime, online," it droned. "New acquisitions detected."

"Okay," Power Girl said. "That's new." She rocketed towards the machine, only to be repelled by a shield. "Oof," she grunted, hitting the ground. Flash and Danny ran over to help her up, but she shrugged them off. "Finally," she said, rubbing her shoulder. "Brainiac is giving us a challenge!"

Phantom and Flash exchanged glances. Power Girl flew in the air, and blasted her heat vision at the Crab-bot. "She's, uh, tenacious," Flash commented.

Danny sighed. "You have no idea," he said dryly.

"Threat detected," the Overseer said. "Offensive systems, online." The Overseer then reared up, and slammed it's front legs down on the pavement, sending an energized shockwave hurtling towards the three heroes, blasting them away. Power Girl and Flash were slammed into a car together, while Phantom collided with a street light. They groaned, as the slowly rose to their feet.

"Wow," Danny said. "Brainiac must really be some kind of stalker! He wants us, bad!"

"HHAARRGGH!" came a war cry above them. The heroes looked up to see a winged figure speeding straight down above the Overseer at terminal velocity. It was Hawkgirl! She slammed her spiked mace onto the robot's shield, the electrified Nth Metal in the weapon causing the shield to short circuit! "Taste the mace!" Hawgirl cried, repeatedly bashing the Overseer, slowly denting it's armor.

"It's shield is down," Flash said, speeding over to help the winged warrior. Phantom and Power Girl followed suit. Power Girl and Danny Phantom poured it on with heat vision and ghost rays, while Flash was using his speed to vibrate the Overseer's leg joints, causing them to over-heat, and Hawkgirl continued to use her mace.

Quickly overwhelmed without it's force field, the Overseer collapsed. Breathing heavily, Hawkgirl and the others turned to face each others. "Hawkgirl," Danny said. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"

Hawkgirl nodded. "Good to see you, too," she replied.

"You two know each other?" Flash asked.

Danny nodded. "We've worked together before," Hawkgirl said. Phantom turned back to her. "Speaking of," he said. "Where's Hawkman?"

Hawkgirl shrugged. "He was in Egypt when the invasion began," she explained. "He'll be stuck there for awhile."

* * *

 **Meanwhile, in Egypt...**

Hawkman was flying above the Great Pyramid of Giza, battling a squadron of Brainiac drones by himself. He was trashing several drones with his mace. In the blazing hot Egyptian desert, this was no easy feat. Of all the times he chose to go to Egypt on an archaeological survey for his museum, the Earth just _had_ to get invaded! Growling, he shouted, "I am sick of these goddamn robots, in this goddamn desert!"

* * *

"Huh," Danny said. "Well, sucks for him. Anyway, this is Power Girl, and the Flash." Before anymore could be said, an ominous voice rang out from behind them.

"Back up power, restored," the Overseer was coming back online!

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Power Girl sneered. The group readied for another round with the the robot. The battered Overseer shakily rose, it's lights flickering.

Then, Power Girl's ears picked up a ringing from the air. "Missiles!" she shouted. Phantom instinctively created a round ecto-shield around the group. The missiles crashed into the Overseer, blowing what was left of it to pieces. They looked up to see the origin of the missiles. The Bat-wing flew overhead.

"Batman," stated Danny.

Flash looked over to Phantom. "Batman's real?" asked Flash. As if in answer, The Dark Knight himself used his long cape to glide to the ground a few feet from the group.

Danny jutted his thumb in Batman's direction. "Yeah," he deadpanned. "He's over there."

Flash's eyes widened. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Batman, who narrowed his eyes. "It is a real honor to meet you, Mr,- Batman-, Sir, Batman,- Sir," Flash stammered. He held out his hand.

Batman glared at the young speedster for a moment. "I've followed you efforts in Central City, Flash," he said, shaking Flash's hand. "You do tight, efficient work."

"Oh, come one," Danny said, throwing his arms in the air. "When we first met, you handcuffed me? And yet you shake his hand and compliment him?"

Batman looked at Danny, and said, "I'd never seen you before. I was being cautious. Besides, you threw the first punch."

Danny rolled his eyes, and sighed. "I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?"

Batman ignored the comment. "I came from Gotham, because I suspected this invasion would have something to do with Superman," he said.

"Well, you're not too far off," came a reply from above. Everyone looked up to see Superman arrive; along with a tall, athletic woman in what looked like an armored red and blue swimsuit with silver trim, and a man wearing a green uniform with a glowing ring on his right hand. "I see we've assembled quite the group," the Man of Steel remarked. He gestured to his two new companions. "This is Wonder Woman and Green Lantern."

Lantern nodded, and Wonder Woman raised her blade. "Greetings, warriors," she said.

Danny stepped forward. He gestured to his own group. "This is the Flash, Hawkgirl, Power Girl and Batman." Everyone nodded to one another, except Batman, who glared at everyone, ever suspicious.

Green Lantern looked Danny up and down, and asked, "And just who the hell are you? A distant member of the Adam's Family?"

Danny's eyes flashed a brighter shade of green at the comment. He floated up to eye level with the Lantern. "The name is Danny Phantom," he growled. Looking down, Danny held up the glowing power ring. "So, what's this do?" he asked.

Lantern jumped in surprise, and shouted, "Hey!" The glowing green light surrounding him faded, and his uniform vanished, leaving him wearing his Air Force flight suit. On his breast pocket read the name 'Hal Jordan'.

Danny landed on the ground, and walked a few steps away, studying the ring. "I'm not seeing any buttons, or switches, or wiring," he commented. "Does this thing run on concentration, or is it magic-based, like the original Green Lantern from back in the day?"

"How did you do that?" asked the befuddled Hal Jordan.

Danny looked over at him, and grinned. "You weren't concentrating, dude."

Scowling, Hal raised his right hand, calling the ring back to him. "Not cool, kid," he sneered. "You _won't_ do that again."

Danny grinned, mischievously. "Unless I want to," he said. Among the group of assembled heroes, Batman smirked. Phantom had learned a few things.

"Would you two quit messing around?" Superman asked, crossing his arms. "We need to formulate a plan. The only reason Brainiac hasn't attacked us since we all got here is that he's readjusting his plans. Now that there are more of us, with such a wide array of abilities, he's going to come at us that much harder."

"And you are correct, Kal-El," Brainiac's voice filtered through the broken communication relays that remained of the fallen Overseer. "Unlike you, I do not tire. My forces are vast. If I must, I shall simply wait for you all to exhaust yourselves, and then eliminate you. But make no mistake: Your world, as well as the unknown energy signature radiating from the being known as 'Danny Phantom' will belong to Brainiac."

Danny suddenly blasted a large ghost ray at the remains of the machine, cutting the transmission. "Blah, blah, blah," he said. "We've heard it before! Find some new catch phrases!"

"Don't you all find it a little too coincidental that all of us were drawn to come here?" Power Girl asked. "I ain't complaining, but still... All of us coming here at around the same time? Superman and Phantom were already here before the invasion, but why did the rest of us decide to come here, really?" They all looked at each other, no one having an answer.

"I was heading here when my ring alerted me to Air Force One being in danger, but, yeah, I was headed here, already. Not sure why, now that you mention it," Green Lantern said.

Flash shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just had the feeling like I was needed here, rather than Central City."

Hawkgirl nodded, in agreement. "Me, too," she said.

Batman said, "I came here, because I knew Superman and Brainiac battled before. For some reason, I just... had a gut feeling that Brainiac came here for revenge."

Superman raised his hands. "Regardless of why," he said. "We are here now. And now we have a more sizable force to take on Brainiac with. We just need a plan. And, no, Phantom. We aren't going to go with your plan of letting you, or a group of us, get captured, and just hope that we can somehow break free inside."

"Why not?" Batman scowled. "Right now, it seems like the only plan we have with any chance of succeeding. As it stands, Brainiac's force field around his mothership is impregnable. Even with all our power, we won't break through. Our only choice is to take him out from within."

Superman frowned, and stepped up to Batman, looking him dead in the eye. "You don't know Brainiac like I do," he said.

Batman simply glared in response. "We don't have to," he growled. "We just have to count on him over-estimating himself. Machine or not, he'll likely still make the mistake of being too greedy. Once we're inside, it's just a matter of getting loose, and taking him down."

"Whoa, hold on there, Bats," Lantern said. "You and the ghost want us to get _captured_? On purpose? Hell, no. I heard you were crazy, but this takes the cake!"

"Fine," Batman said. "You can stay down here. To make this convincing, we need some of us to remain out here, and keep fighting. A few of us will go inside. Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl and Power Girl will remain out here, and keep the fight going. Myself, Phantom, Superman and Wonder Woman will surrender to Brainiac, and once we're inside, we'll take him out."

"... I still don't like this," Superman said. "But I suppose, once we're inside, our best option would be to-" _BOOM!_ A large explosion rocked the heroes. They had wasted too much time arguing! A massive legion of several hundred drones, Subjugators, and Overseers were flowing from the Brainiac mothership! The drones were now out-right attacking the city!

"Foolish beings," Brainiac's monotone voice bellowed over the city. "You have wasted your chance to strike. You cannot deceive me. You may have destroyed many of my drones, but they are still a part of me; my eyes and ears are now littering the streets. Your pitiful idea to give a mock surrender in order to infiltrate my ship has now doomed your city. Metropolis shall be destroyed as punishment. And so shall all of you. Brainiac will not be defied."

Without another word, the heroes jumped into action. Superman and Power Girl began trashing nearby drones with heat vision and their bare hands. Flash was once again moving his arms at high speeds, creating dual twisters, quickly taking down several drones. Green Lantern created a large light-construct mech with his ring, sitting at the controls. It had several several large missile launchers, which made short work of several Subjugators. Hawkgirl was using her mace to short circuit the shields of three Overseers, while Batman ran underneath, planting explosives on the legs.

Phantom was now really worried! He hoped his family was somewhere safe; or better yet, out of the city! He flew through the air, shooting ghost ray after ghost ray, blowing away four Subjugators. "Ha! Take that, creeps," he said.

Wonder Woman lashed out with her lasso, grouping several drones together, before slamming them hard into the side of a building. Wasting no time, she drew her blade and began dismantling several more troops, violently cutting their heads from their shoulders.

Flash and Green Lantern noticed her skill. "Holy...," Flash muttered.

Lantern nudged Flash. "Forget it, Barry," he smirked. "I already called dibs!" Yup, Lantern hadn't changed a bit since the two last worked together. Flash still grimaced at how Hal had hit on not only Iris West; Barry's girlfriend, but also his long-time colleague Caitlin Snow in the same day when he first met them. Needless to say, Caitlin's husband, Ronnie, didn't take well to that.

Hawkgirl flew above the two. "Less talking, more fighting, you two!" she ordered.

Danny flew down to wear Batman was handling his own against several drones. Impressive, considering he had no powers of his own. At least, none that anyone knew of. "So," Danny said. "Did you have an idea on how to stop Brainiac, had we gotten up there?"

Batman threw three exploding batarangs at a Subjugator, blowing it to pieces. "Computer virus," he growled. "Brainiac may be an advanced alien computer, but he's still just a machine. I designed one just for him after his first attack on Metropolis, years ago. That was before I had met Superman. I find it's best to prepare for any eventuality." Without another word, he grappled away, after more drones. "

Huh," Danny said. "He scares me more, and more. Still, he could be a little more friendly."

He then noticed Superman and Wonder Woman were being overwhelmed, and flew over to give them support. He overshadowed one of the Subjugators; a little trick he had picked up fighting Technus. The Subjugator he occupied opened fire at it's colleagues. Superman and Wonder Woman were taken aback for a moment at the sight of one of their enemies attacking it's own allies, not knowing Danny was inside.

Wonder Woman frowned, charging the Danny/Subjugator. "No, no, no, no! Wait, it's me! Phantom!" he shouted in the robotic voice of the Brainiac drone, throwing his hands up in surrender. Wonder Woman stopped herself just inches from the robot, a confused look on her face. "Whew," the Danny/Subjugator sighed in relief. He then left the host body; short out the machine on his way out.

"Great Hera," Wonder Woman gasped. "You are truly a spirit?"

"Uh, that's one way to look at it," Danny shrugged. Superman nodded at the two, before heading to give Batman and Hawkgirl some support. "Nice to meet you, by the way," Danny said to Wonder Woman. "I saw your fight with Ares in DC on the news a couple months ago! Very cool! Beating the God of War, and saving everyone, and stuff! That must have been tough."

Wonder Woman looked at Danny, amused. By nature, Diana chose to see the best in everyone; even spirits of the dead. Strange, a spirit choosing to help the living. She had been raised on Paradise Island believing that the spirits of the dead were to be feared, and not trusted, like Hades. But this one seemed to give off a friendly, somewhat innocent aura. What struck a chord with her most was how young he looked. ' _How sad,'_ she thought. ' _He died so young.'_

Suddenly, screaming could be heard from below. The two spun to see a group of people being chased by several drones! The group was a small family; a mother and her two children. They must have gotten lost during the initial scurry to get to safety. He and Wonder Woman flew down to engage the Brainiac drones. Wonder Woman unfurled her glowing lasso again, and grabbed three of the drones by their necks. Swinging hard, she threw them into a building. The remaining two drones, Danny went after. He blasted one with his ghost ray, but the other aimed it's weapon at the family; firing. "No!" Danny cried. He flew at top speed, throwing himself in between the family and the oncoming bolts!

The bolts struck Danny, sending him to the ground. Wonder Woman snarled, as she beheaded the offending drone. She quickly ran over to check on Danny, as Flash ran over. "I'll get them to safety," he said, before running off with the family at blinding speed. Wonder Woman rolled Phantom over to see two burn marks on his torso. Surely, a spirit can't die again? She worriedly shook his shoulder, noting how cold he was to the touch.

Suddenly, Danny gasped, and sat up coughing, causing Diana to jump, slightly. The wounds on his chest began to heal. "Wow, that hurt," he rasped, in shock. He looked around, not seeing the family he risked his half-life for. "Are those people okay?"

Diana sighed, relieved. Nodding, she helped Danny to his feet, noticing how light he was; almost like air. "That was very brave," she said. "You clearly care a great deal for people."

Danny nodded. "Of, course I do," he said, dusting himself off. "I won't stand by as innocent people get hurt!"

Wonder Woman found her respect for the young spirit growing. He had a great deal of compassion. "That is the kind of selflessness and care I wish to inspire in the people of man's world," she said.

"And precisely the weakness _I_ intended to exploit," Brainiac's voice came from above. It had been a trap! "Danny Phantom, your power is now mine." A large energy beam from the Brainiac ship fell over the two heroes. They flinched, shielding their eyes from the glare. Superman and the other heroes nearby gasped in shock as Wonder Woman and Danny Phantom _vanished_ from sight! "Are they... gone?" Hawkgirl asked, quietly.

Superman scowled, sadly. "No," he said. "They've been teleported aboard Brainiac's ship. He wanted Phantom because of his unique energy. Wonder Woman just happened to be standing right next to him." He turned his glare up to the massive ship. "Brainiac! You still haven't gotten me, yet! Come down here, and face me!"

"Patience, Kal-El," Brainiac said from his ship. "You time will come. I now have the unknown energy source. It is only a matter of time before I possess you, your cousin, and your entire world. In the end, Brainiac always wins."

The remaining heroes looked at one another, uncertain of how to proceed. Except for Batman. "Hopefully, they can brake free," he said. "But we need to focus on getting his forces down here under control. Then, we'll figure out a way to get them back."

* * *

Danny felt strange. Everything was a white light. He panicked, for a moment, thinking of the GIW, when a voice he'd never heard echoed through the back of his mind. It wasn't his, or Brainiac's. It was distant, and had a deep sound to it, but kept fading in and out. " _Help me, please,"_ it said. " _You must release me... Only chance... Find the... Help me..."_ Then, Danny's whole world went black...


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing. This story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: WAR: Part III**

The world had slowly gone from black to glowing white once more. For a brief moment, Danny Phantom had forgotten where he was, only to jolt awake. His eyes shot open, And he looked around to find himself inside a strange pod-like structure. The metal it was constructed from was definitely alien. It had an orange tinge to it, and the texture felt odd.

" _Scans indicate that the unknown energy flows throughout the subject,"_ said Brainiac's voice resonated through the chamber. _"Subject does not possess blood as the human race has; despite that, subject's DNA is distinctly human. None the less, DNA scans indicate that an unknown form of DNA also co-exists alongside it. Further testing is required."_

Not wanting to see what else Brainiac had in mind, Danny focused all of his energy inward, before unleashing it outwards in an radiating aura shockwave. The pod he was in shattered into pieces, and Phantom landed on his feet a few feet below. Sighing in relief, Danny surveyed his surroundings. He was in a large room, filled with similar pods, but all the others were empty.

' _Well,'_ he thought to himself. _'This place is just creepy!'_

Without warning, an unbearable pain bore it's way through Danny's head. Clutching the sides of his head, Danny dropped to his knees, gasping in pain. It was so sudden and intense that he lost his lunch and puked on the floor. It felt like someone was trying to force their way into his mind! After Danny's first encounter with Freakshow, he had trained and honed his mind to resist future attempts to control his mind.

But he didn't feel like someone wanted to control him. Through the haze of pain, he heard a deep voice; one that sounded as if in similar distress. _"Please... Help me... Please free me! I can help!"_ It was the same voice he had heard when he had been captured! And just like that, the voice and the pain vanished; as if it was never there.

Shaking his head to clear it, Danny stood up. He clenched his fists. So. Brainiac had captured someone else. Danny already knew that Wonder Woman had been captured, as well. He knew he had to find them both, and with that in mind, he blasted the metal door to the chamber away with a powerful ghost ray. The time for stealth and being careful was over. Alarms suddenly blared, and Brainiac's voice once again came from everywhere. _"All units. Subject is attempting to escape. Use whatever force is needed to subdue the prisoner."_

Smirking, Phantom flew through the corridors, destroying any forces he came across, and staying intangible and invisible when there was a chance he might be overwhelmed. He occasionally got the sense in the back of his mind about which direction to go to to reach the source of the unknown voice. He suspected the being was likely trying to guide him.

After flying through a maze of alien corridors, Danny came to a small, dark chamber. In the center of the room, a figure was suspended from some kind of force field. Using his ecto-energy, Phantom lit the room in his supernatural glow. Danny was taken aback for a moment. The figure suspended in front of him was green! It had a humanoid shape, but with no nose, and it's arms and legs were longer and slimmer than any human. It's head was covered in some sort of device. The being looked up at Danny with saddened, pained orange eyes.

Taking pity on the green being, Danny blasted the device off it's head, and destroyed the force field shackles holding it in the air. Catching the figure as it fell limply to the ground, Danny helped it to it's feet. "Um... Are you okay?" Danny asked, concerned.

The figure looked at him. _"Yes, thank you,"_ it replied mentally. Danny took a step back, cautious. He didn't like anyone in his mind.

"Forgive me," the being spoke. "In my pain inflicted at the hands of Brainiac, I forgot that humans dislike telepathy. My name is J'onn J'onzz. I am a Martian." He then _transformed_ his shape into a more human shape, but was still green. He gained a dark purple cape with a high collar and red trim, matching tights and cuffed boots. Across his green chest were two red straps, forming an 'X'. "Again, I apologize. But it was necessary to send you telepathic messages so that you would rescue me. It was also me who summoned the other heroes to Metropolis, so that together we could stop Brainiac."

"Wait, that was you?" Danny asked.

J'onn nodded. "Yes," he said. "Although, I did not summon you or Superman. The two of your were already in Metropolis."

Phantom stared at the Martian for a moment, before deciding that he was telling the truth. "Wait," he said."Why was Brainiac holding you prisoner?"

"I was attempting to stop Brainiac before he arrived, but I was quickly over-whelmed," J'onn explained in his deep monotone voice. "At first, I thought there was only the single mother-ship. Only then, did I realize it was a full invasion force. I have lived on Earth for some time, and I have no desire to see it destroyed. But Brainiac has clearly dealt with telepathic beings before. That is why my messages were so clouded and painful. Because I am one of the last of my people, he seems to have wanted me for my knowledge."

Danny was surprised and saddened to hear J'onn's statement about being one of the last of his people. He considered asking what happened, but pushed those questions aside. "Alright, J'onn," he said. "Now we need to save Wonder Woman! She got teleported up here, too."

The Martian calmly looked around, his eyes glowing a brighter orange. "I sense her," he said. "She is being held nearby. We must be in Brainiac's prison hold. This way." He flew towards the ceiling, and to Phantom's surprise, he phased through! Just like a ghost!

Danny quickly caught up to his green ally. "Hey, how are you able to do that?" Danny asked. "You're not a ghost, but I've never met anyone who can phase through walls!"

As they flew through another wall, avoiding another Brainiac patrol, J'onn explained simply, "Density shifting is a common Martian trait." Before Danny could answer, they entered another room, similar to the one where Danny first woke up. They found Diana struggling against several large electrified energy bonds, which were tied around her limbs and waist. Despite her impressive strength, her bonds were designed to become stronger the more you struggled. Phantom was thankful that Brainiac had once again underestimated him when he woke up, and was more interested in learning about Danny's energy than Danny himself.

"Wonder Woman," Danny called. "We'll get you out! Hang on!" As Danny approached her, the doors opened, and in came two squads of Brainiac drones.

"Free her! I will hold them off," J'onn shouted as he confronted the squads. Danny nodded, and began to pull on the energy tethers, but no dice. He realized he would have to use his brain to get her out. He glanced over at J'onn, who was holding his own, transforming into a large creature and tearing the drones apart! Evidently, Martians were shape-shifters, too.

"Who is that?" Diana asked impatiently as Phantom ripped open the device on the floor that the energy tethers were hooked up to. He considered turning Wonder Woman intangible, but he decided against it, not knowing what effect the energy bonds might have.

"His name is J'onn," Danny explained as he stared at the alien technology. "He's on our side." Taking one more look at the alien tech, Phantom decided to simply phase his hand inside and rip out a handful of wiring. At first nothing happened, but then the electrified bonds shorted out, and Diana tore the offending tethers off.

Wasting no time, she pulled out her magic lasso, and wrapped several drones together before slamming them into a wall. Danny threw a huge ball of ecto-energy, vaporizing a Subjugator. "We are about to be outnumbered," J'onn announced. "We must leave, follow me." He flew towards the ceiling; phasing through.

Danny grabbed Wonder Woman by the shoulders, and turned the two of them intangible, following the Martian. As they flew through the ship, Danny said, "We can't leave yet! We have to stop Brainiac!"

The trio landed in an empty chamber. "Yes," Wonder Woman agreed, bringing out her sword. "We can't retreat! We are too close to stopping this menace to run!"

"I wasn't implying a retreat," J'onn said. "But we cannot stop Brainiac without the others help. We must find where his shield generator is located."

Danny rubbed his chin as he pondered the problem. ' _If I was an evil alien robot, where would I keep the controls to my ship's defenses?'_ he thought. _'I would keep it close by, where I could keep an eye on it... Then again, he is connected to every part of the ship, so...'_

" _All units,"_ came Brainiac's voice; ringing throughout the ship. _"The prisoners have escaped. Do not let them near the Prime Weapon Control Room, and cover all exits. They will be attempting to sabotage the ship or escape. This cannot be allowed."_

The trio glanced at one another. "Well," Danny said. "I say we try to find this 'Prime Weapon Control Room'."

* * *

After what seemed like forever, Phantom, Wonder Woman and J'onn had made their way throughout the massive ship. J'onn had concluded that the Control Room was likely near the top of the ship, and therefore would be the most heavily guarded area of the ship. They had battled through what seemed like dozens upon dozens of troops. The closer to the Control Room they got, the more deadly the enemies became.

Phasing through the door, they found it eerily empty. Not at all what Phantom had expected. "Okay... This is just creepy," Danny said. "I guess Brainiac just gave up! Did he abandon ship?"

Wonder Woman huffed. "A coward," she spat. "He invades our world, only to run."

J'onn frowned. "We are not alone," he said. Suddenly, a figure was lowered from the ceiling. He had faded green skin, and wore unusual black and purple armor. On his head was an upside down triangle of three purple glowing dots. They had come face to face with Brainiac.

"Impressive," Brainiac droned. "I had made an error in underestimating your resiliency. The three of you will make excellent test subjects."

"In your dreams," Danny shouted. "You can't stand up to all three of us at once!"

Brainiac regarded Phantom for a moment. "Foolish human," he droned. "The three of you have doomed yourselves by confronting me." Several compartments along the walls opened, and out stepped several more Brainiacs! They stepped up beside the original. Phantom and Wonder Woman fell into fighting stances. "As you can see," Brainiac said. "I am never alone."

The sound of rending metal echoed through the room. Everyone turned to see J'onn with his fist phased through a large console. Withdrawing his fist, he turned towards the group. "Neither are we," he said.

Brainiac registered surprise for a moment, as his voice echoed throughout the ship. "Outer deflector shield has been deactivated. Repairs initiated."

* * *

" _Outer deflector shield has been deactivated,"_ Brainiac's voice droned over the city below. Superman and Batman nodded to one another. Somehow, Phantom and Wonder Woman had done it. Batman pulled out a device on his belt, intending to call down his Batwing, which was on auto-pilot giving air support to the heroes. Superman shook his head, and grabbed Batman's shoulder. "There's no time," he said. Before Batman could respond, Superman rocketed into the air towards the ship.

"Now what do we do?" Flash asked. The heroes had been regrouping when Brainiac's voice had rung out. Flash wasn't used to fighting alien robots, much less with a team of other heroes. Thus far, the only non-human threat he had faced was Grodd, an ape with telepathic powers. He was a little out of his depth.

"Now we hold the line until they get back," Power Girl said, popping her knuckles.

Green Lantern took the cue, and floated above the others. "Alright, team," he said, raising his arm in the air. "We got this!" With that, the heroes returned to the battle.

Flash ran beside Green Lantern as he flew towards an Overseer. "'We got this'? That's your big battle cry?" Flash asked skeptically.

Lantern scowled at Flash. "Just stick to the fighting, smart-ass," he huffed. Flash merely grinned.

* * *

Returning his attention to his opponents, Brainiac glared. "You have sealed your fates. You will not leave this ship." Suddenly, a wall imploded! A blue and red streak flew through the smoke, and grabbed the real Brainiac by the neck.

"Think again, Brainiac," Superman said. "You can't take out all of us. And we aren't going anywhere until we shut this ship down. Permanently!"

Before Brainiac could respond, Superman threw him hard against the other wall. Meanwhile, Batman ran threw the hole created by Superman. He threw several explosive batarangs at the other Brainiac copies, knocking them back. Wasting no time, Phantom, Wonder Woman, and J'onn flew into action, as well. The remaining doors surrounding the room opened, and more Brainiac copies entered the room.

"Why do you resist me? You are an ordinary human," said the Brainiac copy to Batman as he attempted to blast him with the laser on it's forehead. Batman deftly dodged the beam. Using his grapnel, he launched himself at the copy, his boot connecting squarely with it's head.

"I'm anything but ordinary," Batman said.

Phantom tackled another copy to the ground, phasing it inside the flooring. "Hey, Batman," he said. "How did you get up here? I didn't hear your plane, and it's way too high for you to grapple up here." Batman glanced at Phantom, not saying anything. Suddenly, a thought dawned on Phantom. "Superman carried you up here, didn't he?"

Batman's scowl deepened as he glared at glared at Danny. "Not another word," he growled. He then went back to fighting with another Brainiac copy. Snickering, Phantom shot a ghost ray at a new copy of his own.

Superman was trading blows with the real Brainiac. "Your persistence is admirable, Kal-El," Brainiac commented. "It rivals my own. But unlike you, I possess no weakness." From his wrist came a glowing green rock. Kryptonite! Superman immediately groaned, and wobbled on his feet. From Brainiac's other wrist came an stick that extended into a spear. Fixing the chunk of kryptonite to the blade, Brainiac stood over his enemy.

"Now you see, Kal-El," Brainiac said. "Your resistance was for nothing."

As he raised his blade to finish off his opponent, Batman tackled Brainiac to the ground, causing the alien menace to drop his weapon. Quickly over-powering the Dark Knight, Brainiac hauled Batman to his feet and threw him hard against a wall. Searching for his kryptonite weapon, he saw Wonder Woman holding the spear. As he lunged at her, she hurled the weapon out of the hole that Superman had created earlier, causing the weapon to plunge towards the city below. With the Kryptonite's effects out of range, Superman stood up and blasted Brainiac with his heat vision.

While Brainiac was down, Batman recovered, and attached a device to Brainiac's head, infecting him with the computer virus he had developed. Brainiac looked startled for a moment, and his copies collapsed, their tech shorting out and frying. The heroes looked around, proud of their work. "Nice job, Batman," Superman said. Batman didn't reply and glared at Brainiac, as the villain lay at their feet, not responding.

"So, what now?" asked Danny.

"Now, you perish," Brainiac said, startling everyone as he shakily rose to his feet. He unleashed a powerful electrified shockwave, blowing everyone back. "A cunning plan, Batman," the villain droned. "Your virus was well designed. But you forget that I am far more advanced than any of your human technology."

J'onn and Wonder Woman charged Brainiac, who merely blasted them away with his forehead laser. Wonder Woman's gauntlets absorbed most of the impact, but she and J'onn were still thrown back, stunned. Superman used his heat vision, while Phantom used his ghost ray, in hopes of vaporizing the alien robot. Brainiac stumbled back at the assault, but did not go down. Batman tried throwing several batarangs; both explosive and other-wise; but Brainiac didn't even look phased. He shot an energy net at the Dark Knight, electrifying him, and holding him in place.

Returning his attention to Phantom and Superman, his eyes glowed, and the lighting in the room took on an eerie red color. Superman blinked, and shook his head. _'Red sun lamps?'_ the Man of Steel thought to himself. Kryptonians had a natural weakness to red sunlight, which sapped them of their powers. While yellow sunlight, like that of Earth's yellow sun, empowered beings like Superman, Power Girl, and General Zod, red sunlight weakened them, just as Krypton's red sun had on their home world.

Danny Phantom, however, had no such weakness. Unfortunately, he was now facing Brainiac alone. Superman had none of his powers, or his strength, leaving Danny the last opponent for Brainiac. The other heroes; Flash, Hawkgirl, Power Girl, and Green Lantern; were still below and fending off Brainiac's ground forces, and would be of no help. The one bright spot was that Brainiac had never faced Phantom before, and only had what he had observed and scanned of the young ghost to go off of.

"Phantom," Brainiac said. "You are aptly named. Your energy and physiology still intrigue me. You have no heartbeat and you only breathe when you communicate verbally with others. You are unaffected by gravity, and move phase through matter as if it were not there. You can create concussive blasts of the same energy that you exude; yet it leaves no visible residue and dissipates before any data can be collected. You are a scientific anomaly. You should not exist; yet you stand before me."

"Trust me, dude," Phantom said, his fists and eyes glowing bright green. "I'm the most real guy you'll ever meet." He then had an idea that may work. Or, it would fail miserably; whichever came first. Taking a deep breath, he lunged towards Brainiac, who braced himself; his robotic face devoid of emotion, as always.

"Danny, no!" called Superman. He watched helplessly as Danny Phantom fly towards Brainiac. _'Damn, these red sun lamps!'_ the Man of Steel cursed, silently.

He watched in shock as Phantom flew _inside_ of Brainiac's head! Shaking his head, he remembered Phantom had possessed a Brainiac drone before he was captured. He watched Brainiac, as his enemy's face became even more blank and lifeless. He also noticed that Brainiac's eyes had turned from orange to the same green color as Phantom's. Superman looked over to see Wonder Woman and J'onn slowly stand up, both holding their heads after being blasted by Brainiac. He also noticed the energy net holding Batman down had fallen limp, and Batman quickly cut himself free.

"Where is Phantom?" J'onn asked.

Superman pointed at Brainiac. "He's possessing Brainiac, I think," he replied. Batman narrowed his eyes.

Wonder Woman picked up her blade. "We should eliminate Brainiac now, while he is distracted," she said.

Batman held his arm up, blocking her. "Wait," he said. "We have no idea what might happen to Phantom if we destroy Brainiac."

"It wouldn't stop Brainiac, anyway," Superman said. "Even if we destroy his current body, he's still connected to his forces. Who's to say he wouldn't transfer his consciousness to another body? There are too many risks involved. We need to just wait, and trust Phantom knows what he's doing." They all turned their attention back to Brainiac, who was staring blankly at nothing in particular.

"Attention, all Brainiac forces," he said. But his voice was... different. It was Brainiac's voice, but it seemed to be blended with that of Danny's. "Cease all hostilities, and return to your designated ships. Release all captives and all collected materials. All Harvester Ships are to set course for new coordinates. Destination: Earth's sun."

The gathered heroes all looked at each other in shock. "I'll be damned," Superman said. "He actually took over Brainiac."

"He has impressive skills," J'onn commented.

Brainiac then lurched forward, clutching his head and groaning. Everyone was surprised to see Phanom come flying out of Brainiac's head. He landed hard on the metal floor, and groaned. Superman helped him to his feet. "Oh, man," Danny groaned. "That was painful... Remind me to never over-shadow an evil alien robot again!" They returned their attention to Brainiac. The menace held his own head, and before he could do anything more, Batman threw something off his belt at Brainiac. The device attached itself to Brainiac's chest.

Looking down, Brainiac attempted to remove the device, before starting to shake, violently. "What have you- Systems report- Malfunctions- All forces- Destination: Earth's Sun- No! I am- Systems report-," Brainiac began shouting nonsense.

"That should take care of Brainiac for a while," Batman said.

Superman looked over at the Dark Knight. "I thought your computer virus didn't affect him?" he asked.

"The first one was a Trojan Horse, so to speak," Batman explained. "It opened the door to Brainiac's systems, so my second device could deliver the real virus." Suddenly, the ship shuddered violently.

"The ship is moving towards the upper atmosphere," J'onn shouted. "We must leave, _now._ " Everyone ran towards the hole in the wall created by Superman. As they jumped out, Superman was once again exposed to the Sun's yellow sunlight, regaining his strength.

As they fell through the air towards the ground, Danny remembered that Batman can't fly, and moved over to him in mid-air. "Don't even think about it," Batman warned him. "I may not be able to fly, but I can get down on my own." He pressed a button on his belt, and the Batwing flew up underneath them. Batman had set it on auto-pilot during the battle; providing air support to the heroes below. The cockpit opened, and Batman landed inside with such skill, one would think he does that sort of thing on a daily basis.

As the group headed toward the ground, they noticed that all that remained of Brainiac's forces were the destroyed pieces of his drones. They noticed the other heroes gathered below. They looked a little worse for ware, but were still in one piece. Danny remembered his family, and now that the battle was seemingly over, he was anxious to get back to them. Then again, he did reveal his secret identity to them, and he doubtlessly had a lot of explaining to do.

"So," Power Girl said as the group landed, and Batman got out of his jet. "I see you guys managed to stop Brainiac."

Superman nodded at his cousin. "Thanks to Phantom and Batman," he said.

Danny grinned, while Batman gave nothing away. "Ah, it was nothing," Danny shrugged, rubbing his neck.

"Don't sell yourself short, Danny," Superman said. "It was thanks to your possessing Brainiac and giving his forces the order to retreat that gave Batman the opening he needed to plant his computer virus. Nice work."

Green Lantern huffed at the praise. "Sure, give the two spooks the praise," he said, crossing his arms. "Just forget us poor slobs that had to hold the line down here."

Power Girl and Hawkgirl both scowled at Lantern's comment. "Who are you calling a 'slob'?" Hawkgirl snarled, gripping her mace.

Lantern stammered at the threat, holding up his hands. Flash smirked. "Don't forget, Hal," he said. "You wanted to stay down here. Uh, by the way, who's the green guy?"

"My name is J'onn J'onnz," the Martian introduced himself. "I'm a Martian." As J'onn explained to the others his story of being captured by Brainiac , Phantom took the chance to maybe slip away and find his family. As he turned to slip away, he noticed a large group of people coming out from a hotel nearby.

"Uh, guys," he said, drawing the others attention. "We might want to leave before they blame us, or something." While he couldn't speak for Superman or Flash, people in his hometown of Amity Park tended to blame destruction on him.

Before anyone could respond, the crowd began to cheer and applaud the group of heroes. Many also pulled out their phones and began taking pictures. "Huh, well this is new," Danny said.

Flash put his hand on Danny's shoulder. "What's your rush?" the Scarlet Speedster asked, as he grinned and waved at the crowd. Danny grinned, as well, and waved shyly to the people gathered before them.

Nearby, Batman scowled. He didn't care for crowds of people, and he certainly didn't need or want thanks. He put his finger to his ear. Over his communicator, Alfred confirmed that Brainiac's ships had left around the world. The skies over Gotham were clear, and NASA and the governments of the world were monitoring the fleet carefully as the ships made their way to the Sun. Turning to Superman, he said, "I trust you can handle the clean up without my supervision. I have work to do in Gotham."

Superman chuckled, softly. "Of course," he said. "Thanks for your help."

Batman nodded, and aimed his grappler at the sky. Soon, the Batwing flew over head, and Batman was headed for home.

As Danny's glowing green eyes cast out over the growing crowd, he noticed his family nearby, pushing their way through the crowd. He grinned widely as they looked proudly at him. Maybe things were going to be alright, after all! He glanced over at the other heroes. J'onn and Hawkgirl looked wholly uncomfortable. Green Lantern was flirting with a couple of women. Flash and Superman were speaking with Lois Lane. Power Girl and Wonder Woman were talking nearby, as well. Floating past Hawkgirl, he whispered something to her. After she nodded, he vanished.

Several minutes later, Danny Fenton made his way through the crowd to his family, startling them. They exchanged hugs, and made their way back to where the Fenton Family Assault Vehicle was parked. The family of ghost hunters were more then ready to get back home to Amity Park! Plus, Jack and Maddie had a lot of questions for Danny. Oh, yeah. It was going to be one _long_ drive back...

Meanwhile, the other heroes had managed to get away from the crowd, and were gathered on a nearby roof. "Hey, where did Phantom go?" Green Lantern asked.

Hawkgirl shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "He left shortly after Batman did. Said he had a hot date, or something."

Lantern rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right," he said. "Who'd want to go out with that guy?"

It was Superman's turn to roll his eyes. "So," he said. "Who wants to help cleaning up the city?"

The other heroes glanced at one another. "Not it," Flash said quickly, bolting away for Central City in the blink of an eye.

"Uh, I'd love to, Kal," Power Girl said. "But I really need to get back to New York. No telling what kind of trouble Atlee has gotten herself into."

Waving farewell to her cousin, she flew off toward home. "I will gladly help," Wonder Woman said firmly. Superman nodded his thanks.

Hawkgirl shrugged. "I need to get in touch with Hawkman, and see if he's okay," she said. Soon, she had left, too.

"Jerks," Lantern muttered. In truth, he had only stayed because he wanted to show off for Wonder Woman. "Stand back, guys. Green Lantern's got this." Shortly, several dozen light-construct bulldozers were busy plowing through the streets, cleaning up the shattered Brainiac pieces. "See that, beautiful? I don't even have to be looking at my constructs for them to work!"

* * *

Across the city, Lex Luthor bent down in the rubble of his newest Lex-Corp building. It had cost him a great deal of money to build it, and now it would cost him even more to repair it. All because of Superman! But, at the moment, he was less concerned with money than he was with what he had found. Call it luck, call it a coincidence, call it fate, but Brainiac's kryptonite-infused spear had landed in the rubble, still intact. Grinning, he slowly picked up the alien weapon. "Finally," he said softly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All rights to the characters and locations belong to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing. This story is for fun, not for profit or money of any kind.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: First Meeting**

The world was recovering from Brainiac's invasion. The cities of the Earth were repairing the damage. Companies like LexCorp, VladCo, Wayne Industries and Queen International were all funding relief efforts. The four companies had mutually pooled their resources, and world was slowly returning to normal. Even crime had come to a stand still, more or less, in the time that followed the invasion. It was as if everyone, good and evil alike, were taking a step back to catch their breath.

But what the country was talking about the most was the combined forces of Superman, Wonder Woman, Danny Phantom, Batman, Green Lantern, Power Girl, Flash, Hawkgirl, and J'onn J'onnz; whom the media had taken to calling "Martian Manhunter". Everyone and their uncles had been attempting to interview each of the heroes about the subject, however, none of the heroes had made any comment.

The unofficial group had been dubbed the "Super Friends" by various media groups. It was clear that the people were craving, not celebrities to fawn over or the latest fad, but an ideal. Hope. And in the form of this group, they had found it. These extraordinary beings had fought as a unit to protect the world, and everyone in it.

As Batman sat in his cave, minus the cowl, staring at his various screens, he pondered this for some time. He certainly didn't consider any of the other heroes "friends", super or other-wise. He didn't know any of them, with the exception of Superman. The two had previously worked together on a couple of occasions, and knew each other's identity. Phantom, he had worked with once, and trusted the ghost, but he hardly knew him.

He had attempted to research Phantom, but couldn't find much of anything. Then again, he hadn't dug too deeply, yet. Danny Phantom had appeared seemingly out of nowhere almost a year and a half ago. Phantom didn't wear a mask, so he likely didn't have an identity to protect, and with his glowing green eyes and white hair, he would have trouble blending in with the regular public. But because Phantom so rarely ventured beyond Amity Park, Batman didn't focus too much attention on him. The Dark Knight had enough to worry about in Gotham.

Batman's attention wasn't on the identities of the other heroes, at the moment, though. He was considering the attention the group had gotten. None of the heroes had worked together in the days since, but Batman had begun to worry, not just for Gotham, but for the planet. What if the Earth was invaded again? Next time, by a far more dangerous force? One none of the heroes had encountered before? This time, they had been lucky. Brainiac had been a known quantity for Superman, albeit a deadly one.

Next time, they may not be so lucky. They needed to be prepared. With that in mind, he picked up his cell phone. "It's Bruce. We need to talk."

* * *

Shortly there after, the heroes had been gathered, once more. Though it had been difficult to track some of the heroes down, like J'onn, everyone had agreed to meet. Batman had given everyone a date and time to meet at an old abandoned brown stone mansion in Civic City. Danny was the last to arrive, as it had taken him a bit of convincing for his parents to agree to let him go after being contacted by Superman.

The inside of the building was dusty, and looked like no one had been there in years. All of the furniture was covered, as were the tables and pictures on the walls. Green Lantern was the first to comment, "Well, Phantom and Bats must feel right at home. This place gives me the creeps!" Danny glared at Lantern. He couldn't quite place it, but the place had a sense to it. A feeling. One of... history. The good kind; like something great once filled these hallways.

Hawkman and Hawkgirl looked uncomfortable at being in the building, for some reason. Hawkman insisted on joining his wife, and no one objected. J'onn looked impassive, as usual. Batman led everyone into a large room, with a large circular table in the middle, covered by an old dusty tarp. "There's a reason Superman and I have gathered you all here today," Batman said, softly. "In case you haven't seen it, the world is still talking about what we managed to accomplish together in Metropolis."

Superman stepped forward. "That's right," he said. "I used to think that I could protect the world on my own. But I'm not that naive anymore. Batman and I have talked at great lengths about this. The world could use our help."

"But why gather us all here, specifically?" Flash asked.

"I was just coming to that," Superman said. "I found this place years ago, back when I was just getting started. This estate belonged to a man named Wesley Dodds. But it wasn't only a house. It also served another purpose." He pulled the tarp off the large table, revealing an old, beautiful marble table, with gold inlays. In the center was a large red and blue crest in the shape of a shield, with the letters "JSA" in the center. Surrounding the crest was a gold circle, with the words "Justice Society of America" in bold black lettering.

"Whoa," Danny whispered.

"That's right," Batman said. "We're standing in the headquarters of the original Justice Society of America." He walked over, and pulled a tarp off of a large picture on the wall, revealing an painting of the old Justice Society members. The original masked superheroes. The original Flash, the original Green Lantern, Dr Fate, Spectre, Dr Midnite, Wildcat, Hourman, Sandman, the Star-Spangled Kid, Mr Terrific, the original Black Canary, and...

"Is that you guys?" Phantom asked Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Everyone looked to the Hawks.

Hawkman crossed his arms and scowled at the floor. Hawkgirl sighed and looked at the painting. "Yes," she said.

Green Lantern scratched his head, somewhat confused. "Um, how?" he asked. "The JSA disbanded back in the seventies. You guys don't look that old."

"Thanagarians age much slower than humans," Hawkman explained.

Lantern cocked his head. "Huh," he said. "And here all this time I thought you guys were just posers stealing their shtick."

Batman cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him and Superman. "So, what?" Power Girl asked. "You two want us to form a new Justice Society?"

"No," Superman shook his head, glancing at Hawkman and Hawkgirl. "Batman and I were thinking more of a 'Justice League'."

Danny snickered. "You realize that makes us sound like some kind of soft ball team, right?" he joked.

Lantern laughed at that. "Nice one, Casper," he said, slapping Danny's back.

Wonder Woman frowned at the two. "Would you two stop acting like children?" she scolded.

The Flash shrugged, thinking it over. "I don't know," he said. "I kinda like the sound of it. I think Superman and Batman have a point. I'm in."

Wonder Woman nodded in agreement and said, "As am I."

Green Lantern quickly changed his tune. "Me, too! Yup, the world could always use saving."

Phantom rolled his eyes along with everyone else at Green Lantern. "Count me in, too," he said. "This might help get people on my side back home in Amity Park, for a change."

Power Girl put her hands on her hips. "Fine, I'm in, too," she said. Superman smiled at his cousin in thanks, before looking over at J'onn, who had been silent through the whole meeting.

"My home is long gone, and my family is long dead," the Martian said sadly. "Earth has been my new home for a long time now, and I would gladly do anything to protect it. I would be honored to join you all in this endeavor."

Diana put a comforting hand on his green shoulder. "I'm glad," she said. "But it is all of us who would be honored to have you at our side." J'onn gave her a small smile in thanks.

Hawkman and Hawkgirl looked at each other for a moment. Hawkgirl nodded to the group. "We're in," she said.

Hawkman walked up to Batman and glared at him square in the eye. "But only to keep an eye on you all," he warned. "Just remember; this is no Justice Society. This group hasn't even gotten it's feet off the ground. There's a lot of work to be done. Don't fool yourselves just because they talk about you on the news. We may have gotten lucky stopping an invasion, but that doesn't mean a damn thing if we don't know how to function as a group."

"Naturally," Batman replied, coldly. To both they're credit, neither backed down from the other. Superman eventually stepped in between them before it got any more intense.

Danny cleared his throat. "So," he said. "Is this going to be our HQ now, too?"

"Only temporarily," Batman explained, still glaring at Hawkman. "If that's okay with you, that is." Hawkman grunted and shrugged, indifferent.

"Good, it's settled, then," Superman said. He handed out communicators to each member of the group."I think these will come in handy."

After they received their communicators, everyone just glanced at each other for a moment. "So...," Danny said after the awkward silence stretched on. "What now?" No one was quite certain of what to do next. Everyone except Batman.

"Now," the Dark Knight said. "We get to work."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All rights to characters and locations belong to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing. This story is for fun; not money or profit of any kind.**

 **Thank you for your wonderful reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Team Work, More or Less...**

Sirens were blaring. The flashing of red and blue police lights colored the area. Shouts and the occasional burst of gunfire sounded, adding to the sense of unease and danger. Yes, life, it seemed, had returned largely to normal in Gotham City. Or, as normal as the most crime-ridden city in America got. If anything, the peace and quiet that ensued in the wake of Brainiac's failed invasion had felt even more unnerving to the citizens of Gotham; both criminal and civilian alike.

But tonight was different. Both Blackgate Prison and Arkham Asylum had experienced massive break-outs. The two seemed to be unrelated, but it was too much of a coincidence that the two facilities that housed some of the most dangerous criminals in the country would both experience riots on the same nights. But the cause of these incidents could wait.

Right now, the Gotham City Police Department was in way over their heads. Even with the combined efforts of the GCPD and SWAT, the criminals, many of which were super-powered, were quickly outnumbering them. Both facilities were relatively removed from the populace of Gotham. Arkham was located on an island in the bay, so the bridge was raised. Simple fix, right? Keep the escaped inmates trapped on the island, and use helicopters to drop SWAT teams in to subdue the patients. Simple, right? Or, it would have been, if Poison Ivy hadn't unleashed a massive towering plant that kept swiping at helicopters that flew to close to the island; effectively keeping law enforcement from getting to the Asylum to rescue the staff.

At the same time, the prisoners had over-taken Blackgate Prison. Blackgate was located just on the outskirts of Gotham. There were no super-powered criminals at Blackgate, with the exception of Mr Freeze and Bane. Also located there were Penguin, Deadshot, and other regular criminals from around the country that had no special powers. And these criminals were dangerous enough as it stood.

The man placed in charge of coordinating the efforts of containing these riots was James Gordon, Commissioner of the GCPD. Out of anyone, he was the man who had the most experience with these types of events. Stubborn, hard-nosed, and widely known through GCPD as the only man who could hold his own in a glaring contest with Batman, Gordon was the best man for the job. And right now, he was nearly pulling his hair out.

This was too much to place on one man's shoulders. Corruption within the GCPD, getting into a fistfight with Joker or Two Face, pulling the trigger if need be, all of these things Jim Gordon could deal with. But he had his limits. As he stood on the roof of GCPD, he heaved a heavy sigh. The rain was pouring, which made lighting a cigarette out of the question. _'Great,'_ he thought to himself. _'Just great.'_ As he listened to the other end of his cell phone, he said, "I want you to lock all of the doors and windows to our apartment, then lock yourself in the bathroom until I get back. Just like we practiced. Stay safe, Barbara."

God, he wished for the good old days. Back when he was a young detective, taking on corruption and crime in Gotham with his old partner, Harvey Bullock, at his side. Back when Penguin hadn't made a name for himself, yet. Back when Harvey Dent was a hot-headed lawyer. Back when there was no Joker, no Killer Croc, no Ivy. Back when the worst he had to deal was Don Falcone, Fish Mooney, or Sal Maroni. But those days were long over. Now, Gordon had a 15 year old daughter, Barbara, to care for. Now, he needed to get his head in the game, and get to work on reclaiming his city from the criminal scum that now threatened it more than ever.

And to do that, he needed help. Putting his phone back on his belt, Gordon walked over to a large spotlight. Pulling the lever, which sparked wildly. The large light glared to life, shooting the Bat-signal into the sky. "It's a little late for that," came a quiet voice behind him. Whirling around, Jim nearly jumped out of his skin. Batman was standing behind him. "Told you I'd beat you to the punch, one day," Batman said dryly. Chuckling despite himself, Gordon crossed his arms.

"Took you long enough," Gordon quipped. He didn't trust Batman, fully. But the guy had saved his daughter and the city more than once. But he still thought the Bat was crazy for wearing that mask.

"I have Robin and Batgirl in Chinatown," Batman said, wasting no time. "Their helping with your units round up the rioters, as well as Two-Face's gang. I'm heading to the Asylum. Thankfully, it seems most of the major threats are still trapped on the island. For now."

"Why?"Gordon asked. "That seems... unusual for them. You'd think they'd be scrambling to find a way off."

Batman turned to the railing on the roof, looking out over the bay to the small island. Even from shore, one could see the massive plants sprouting from the botanical gardens, moving back and forth slowly. "Ivy hasn't been out of her cell in a long time," Batman said. "She's stretching her limbs. Joker won't leave right away; he's right at home. Quinn, too. Croc and Scarecrow will have a harder time getting off; they stand out too much to not be noticed."

"Is Ivy helping them?" Gordon asked.

Batman shook his head once. "I doubt it," the Dark Knight said. "She won't help anyone other than herself; save perhaps Harley." It was true. Harley and Ivy were usually joined at the hip when Harley was apart from Joker. Batman suspected there was more to Ivy and Harley's relationship than just friends or partners in crime.

"Wait," Gordon said. "If your going to the Asylum, and with Batgirl and Robin downtown, what about Blackgate? My men can't get that place under control by themselves if their stretched so thin, and you can't be in two places at once."

"That's why I called in backup," Batman answered.

A red blur suddenly sped past them, trailing... lighting? The Flash had arrived! At the same moment, Hawkgirl, Danny Phantom, Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter, and Superman flew beside them before landing on the roof. "Told you I could beat everyone else here," Flash bragged, grinning widely.

Superman stepped forward to shake hands with Gordon. "Commissioner Gordon, the Justice League is at your disposal," he said. "We're here to help in any way we can."

"Uh, right. Thanks," Jim muttered. He wasn't used to dealing with any of these other heroes. Batman was a vaguely known quantity. He had no powers, but the rest of them did, and that set him on edge a little. But he knew from their reputations as well as what happened with the invasion that they were the good guys.

"Here's the plan," Batman said. "Superman, Flash, Hawkgirl and Manhunter are going to quell the rioting in Blackgate prison. Wonder Woman, Phantom and myself are going to Arkham Asylum to get it under control and restore order. We're all to remain in contact via our ear com-links. Understood?"

"Hey, Bats," Phantom smirked, his eyes glowing brightly. "As Lantern would say, we got this. Come on, guys. Let's show Batman how fast we can tame Gotham!" The others turned their attention back to Batman.

"Just go," the Caped Crusader growled.

* * *

A trail of snow and ice was coating one of the outer walls of Blackgate Prison. Several of the law enforcement officers had their rifles raised. They had orders from Gordon to not allow anyone to leave the prison. The ice was only more disconcerting. A rush of wind came from behind them. A red lightning bolt sped past and ran over the wall. "What the hell was that?" asked one of the officers.

"The cavalry," came the answer from behind them. Superman flew over head, and landed between the ice and the police officers. "Get your men back," the Man of Steel ordered. "The Justice League is here to help." Over head, Hawkgirl and Manhunter flew over the wall to help Flash. A large crack in the wall appeared. Sharing a concerned look with her troops, the sergeant in charge ordered her men to stand back.

Walking towards the wall, Superman had already used his X-Ray vision on the wall. He knew what was coming. "Here we go," Superman said softly. The ice coated wall shattered, and out stepped none other than Bane himself. Helicopters over head shone their search lights on the two. "Bane, I assume," Superman said, his red cape flowing behind him. "I'm giving you this one chance. Surrender."

Bane chuckled. "Ah, you must be the so-called Superman," he said, his deep voice rumbled. The man flexed his muscles and tore the prison jacket from his body. A dark smile came from under his mask. "I have waited a long time to break the Man of Steel."

"Don't count on it," Superman said, clenching his fists. The two charged each other head on. They collided and caused a small shockwave. Superman and Bane locked up.

"First the Bat, now you," Bane snarled. Superman responded by headbutting Bane square in the jaw, sending him reeling.

"I think you'll find I'm a little harder to break," Superman said.

Meanwhile, inside the prison, Mr Freeze looked on as he saw Superman and Bane go at it through the hole in the wall Bane had created. Bane was powerful, but he was not bullet proof. The plan was to work together to escape. Freeze had frozen the wall of the prison to make it brittle enough for Bane to shatter, but Superman suddenly appearing had not been counted on. "Superman," Freeze murmured. "This is going to be... interesting."

"More than you know," came Martian Manhunter's voice from behind Freeze. "Surrender peacefully, and you will not be harmed." Freeze's answer was to send a blast of ice at the Martian, who merely turned intangible. "Your attacks are in vain, Freeze," J'onn said, his voice monotone. "I can sense your thoughts. And they dwell on your wife, Nora. Your criminal actions, no matter the reason, bring you no closer to a cure for her." Freeze gave no response, and simply continued to fire his ice weapon. Saddened at not being able to get through to the wayward man, Manhunter continued to dodge the attacks.

Elsewhere inside, near the cafeteria, Flash was quickly and easily rounding up the rioting criminals. No sweat! As he rounded a corner, he collided head long into a steel pipe that came from the shadows. Laying on the ground, he rubbed his head as his vision slowly came back to him. His hyper-metabolism allowed him to heal at incredible speeds, but being struck in the forehead by a metal pipe still hurt!

"Well, well, boys," said a cackling voice with a distinctive Cockney accent. "Would ya lookie what we 'ave 'ere. Looks like one of them do-gooders in tights! Now, what might you be doin' so far from Central City?" Flash blacked out after another shot to the head. Before darkness took hold, he thought, _'This is going to be a long night...'_

Flying over the roof of the prison, Hawkgirl was searching the prison yard for her first victim, er, rather... Well, you know what? Screw it. Victim it is. Strangely, the yard was empty. _'Odd,'_ she thought, before her vision caught a glimmer in the corner of her eye. _'Laser sight!'_ As fast as her reflexes were, she wasn't faster than a bullet. A lone sniper from a stairwell had grazed her wing, causing her to yell in pain, and fall to the yard bellow.

Groaning, she felt her wing bleed, and the fall likely broke it, as well. Cursing under her breath, she rose to her feet, and scanned the rooftop above her for signs of the sniper. Instead, her ears picked up a distinctive _shing!_ of metal scraping. Deftly bringing up her mace, she deflected several small throwing stars. Stepping out of the shadows was a man wearing armor and an orange and black mask that totally covered his face, save for one eye.

"Well, I guess Deadshot is good for something, after all," the man said. "You must be one of the Hawks. I usually don't kill wounded birds for sport, but I'll make the exception." He brandished a long, deadly katana.

Hawkgirl casually twirled her mace in response. "My wing might be hurt, but I don't need to fly to kick your ass," she warned. "You aren't dressed like a prisoner. Who are you?"

The man observed her for a moment, before seemingly recognizing her as a seasoned warrior. Something to be respected. "They call me Deathstroke," the man answered. "If you must know, my client hired me to bust him and the rest of his goons out if he ever got thrown in here. He payed in advance, so I'm professionally obligated to fulfill my end of the deal."

"So, a mercenary. And the riot was a distraction," Hawkgirl said, as they began to circle one another. She could tell from the way he moved that this Deathstroke was a professional. This was going to be a challenge. Good. She liked a challenge. Tired of talking, she made the first move, and lashed out with her mace, as Deathstroke dodged her swing. He followed up with a deadly slash with his blade at her neck. Hawkgirl rolled with the swing, the blade catching a bit of her red hair.

"You move pretty good with those wings," Deathstroke commented. He could always respect talent and skill. Hawkgirl gave a feral smile. Instead of answering with words, she continued to swing with her mace, forcing Deathstroke to go on the defensive, something he was not used to. Her mace eventually caught his sword, and her strength sent Deathstroke flying back. Landing on his feet, he threw a smoke pellet on the ground and disappeared. Hawkgirl narrowed her eyes. The hunt was on, but who was the prey?

* * *

"So this is the legendary Arkhan Asylum?" Danny wondered aloud. He, Wonder Woman and Batman had eventually made it to the island, but not without difficulty. In order to get past Ivy's plants, Phantom had turned them intangible. Once on the grounds, they immediately noticed the many insane inmates wandering around. However, at the sight of Batman, they quickly scattered. "I think they recognize you," Phantom commented.

"We need to get inside the main building, and find any surviving staff," Batman said. "Ivy can wait for the moment. I'm more concerned about someone like Joker on the loose."

As they quickly made their way to the central building, Danny felt an unusual shiver run through him. He had been getting odd chills at random times the last few days. Shaking the feeling away, he glanced at Wonder Woman, who had a sad look on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She was looking at the stumbling, rambling people wandering around, some of them still in straight jackets. "It's sad to see these poor people's minds in such disrepair," she said. "Surely there are more humane treatments for them other than locking them away?"

Batman's frown deepened at the statement. "There are," he said. "But sometimes, they grow immune to traditional treatments. Others, no known method of treatment can help. These are the more violent and unstable patients. They need to be restrained to keep them from hurting themselves or other people."

They approached the main building, but the doors were locked. Batman looked at Danny and nodded. Phantom turned invisible and phased through the door. Once inside, he didn't see anyone. He unlocked the door and Batman and Wonder Woman entered. "Looks like a nasty tornado tore through here," Danny said. There were papers thrown about, chairs turned over, typical bad-things-went-down stuff.

Batman pulled out a device from his belt. "Cash, this is Batman, do you copy?" he spoke into the device.

 _"Batman,"_ came the reply. The man on the other end sounded stressed and angry. _"Where the hell you been? Arkham's gone to the dogs. Ivy got out of her containment cell, and things went south. The other inmates took advantage of the chaos."_

"Slow down, Cash," Batman said. "Where are you?"

Static filled the silence for a moment. _"We're hold up in the Medical Wing,"_ came the reply. _"Not sure how much longer we can hold out. Not with someone like Joker or Croc on the loose."_

"Leave Joker to me," Batman said. "I've brought back-up. I'm sending them your way. Fill them in. They'll escort you and the other guards and the medical staff to safety. Once Joker's out of the picture, we can handle the rest." Batman then turned to Danny and Wonder Woman. "Get to the med wing," he said. He pointed down the hallway. "Follow the lines; you can't miss it. And watch your backs. Some of these patients are extremely-"

" _Dangerous? Oh, ho-ho, Batsy! You always did have a way with words!"_ Joker's voice came over the intercom. _"Ooh, and you brought friends! Good! The more the merrier! Hey... I know that white hair anywhere! You're that ghost brat! Aww, why do you have to bring such party-poopers, Bats? The kid's no fun at all! Why, he's worse than those two caped teens you have jumping over rooftops. Still, at least this one doesn't dress like a rodent!"_

"Joker," Batman growled. "You won't get away with this."

" _Of course not,"_ came Joker's reply. _"I'm not counting on this being any different than usual! You really have a low opinion of me, these days! Ha! I'm counting on you locking me up again! Just so I can escape, and our little game can start all over again! But there's no reason Harley and I can't have our fun and chaos in the mean- Hey, where did that ghost kid go? And Wonder Legs is gone, too!"_

Batman over his shoulder. Phantom and Wonder Woman had vanished. Good. They must be headed to the med wing. "Joker," Batman growled. "I'm coming for you."

The only response was Joker's howling laughter over the intercoms.

* * *

Flash awoke with a start. He suddenly realized he was tied to a chair. Nice... Turns out the little fat guy called the Penguin had a mean swing. Who knew? Speaking of Napoleon Junior... "Well, well," the crime boss sneered. "Looks like you heal up nice and quick, huh?" He chuckled, picking up his lead pipe and inspected it.

Flash glared at the man. "You know, I thought you were one of the smarter ones here in Gotham," Flash said. "Given everything that's happening, I'm surprised you haven't taken my little nap as a cue to get out of here."

"Ah, don't worry 'bout that," Penguin said. "Normally, me an' my boys would 'ave left by now. But in case you didn't notice, there's a bloody war goin' on out there! Not to mention all your friends are outside. We'll leave. But only once things calm down. In the mean time, I'll make things a little easier by killin' you!" Penguin swung the pipe, but something caught it in mid air!

Martian Manhunter appeared behind Penguin and pulled the pipe from his hand. "I think not," he calmly said. "If Mr Freeze was no match for me, how do you think you would you fare, Mr Cobblepot?" Flash took the opportunity to untie himself in a blur, and quickly knock out Penguins men.

Seeing he was out-gunned, Penguin quickly changed his tune from cocky to cowardly. "No, no, please! Wait! I- I surrender! Don't hurt me!" he begged.

Flash and J'onn shared a glance, before Flash buzzed around Penguin and his men, quickly leaving them tied up together with the same rope that he himself had been tied up with only a moment before. Flash grinned at J'onn, who merely nodded in return. The two headed off down the hallways together to finish the job. "Where are the others?" Flash asked. Manhunter's eyes flashed orange for a moment, before replying, "Superman has Bane subdued, but Hawkgirl is wounded. We should hurry."

* * *

Batman ran through the hallways of Arkham Asylum, easily subduing any escaped patients in his way. Occasionally, Joker would spew his nonsense over the intercoms, trying to distract his foe. But Batman knew the Asylum inside and out, just like Joker. And knowing Joker, he knew right where the clown would be. At the top of the facility. The large spire rooftop. A few years earlier, Joker had escaped, and attempted to jump off the tall structure, while holding onto a captured nurse. Joker's reasoning was that Batman couldn't catch them both at the same time. That hadn't stopped the Dark Knight from trying.

It was a night that still haunted Batman. It was when he was only a year or so into his career as a crime fighter; still woefully inexperienced. He had failed that night. He dove off the roof after them. He had hooked his grapple line at the roof and locked it to his belt. He caught the two, but his line hadn't been able to take all three of their weight. They all plummeted to the ground with a sickening thud. Batman had snapped his arm and collar bone in two places and dislocated his right knee. Joker shattered his pelvis and left leg. The nurse hadn't been so lucky; her neck snapped on impact, killing her instantly.

" _Ooh, ho-ho, getting closer, old friend,"_ came Joker's voice. _"Wait until you see what I have cooked up tonight. I guarantee it's going to be a killer. Just like old times! An anniversary, if you will. Hahahaha!"_

* * *

Phantom and Wonder Woman had reached the Medical Wing of Arkham and Arron Cash, head of security at the Asylum, had explained that Poison Ivy had caused the breakout. She had pretended to fall ill, appearing to pass out in her containment cell. Once her cell doors had opened for doctors to check her, she struck. She killed two guards, the doctor, and crippled the nurse. Once she was out of containment, Hell itself had broken loose. Her plants tore through part of the building, which had in turn damaged the electrical grid and one of the back-up generators. This unlocked the electric cells for many of the patients.

Long story short, the guards were overwhelmed by Ivy's plants and the escaped inmates. After escorting the medical staff and injured people to safety, Danny and Wonder Woman set to work rounding up the inmates. Danny was on edge. They hadn't encountered any of the big names like Croc or Scarecrow. Yet. Occasionally, Joker would mouth off over the intercom. The two stumbled, suddenly, as a large quake shook the island.

" _Phantom, Wonder Woman,"_ Batman spoke over the communicators. _"The rest of the inmates can wait. I need you two to find Poison Ivy, and stop her. Her plants are causing too much damage to the island as they grow. I'm closing in on Joker. I'll join you shortly. Knowing Ivy, she's in the botanical gardens. Stop her!"_

As the two heroes quickly ran out of the main building, Wonder Woman asked, "Who is this Poison Ivy? By the Gods! If she can control nature herself, she must indeed be dangerous."

Danny shrugged. "I don't know, really," he said. "All I know is she can control plants and men with her spores, or something." As they rounded a corner, they found the entrance to the gardens blocked off by, you guessed it, giant plants. The pair looked at one another. "Do you want to take this, or should I?" Danny asked. Wonder Woman smirked, drew her blade, and began hacking away at the plants, clearing a path. As she cut, they thought they heard a scream of pain.

"My babies! How dare you!? You pathetic meat sacks will pay!" came a loud voice from seemingly everywhere. Poison Ivy was communicating through the plants. Grabbing Diana's shoulder, Danny instinctively turned them intangible, and flew them through the rushing vines. Soon, they found themselves in the center of the botanical gardens. The entire place was over-run in plants of every kind possible. Even some that weren't normally in nature. These were large, mutated plants. Deadly, yet beautiful. That was the only way to describe them.

They looked around, warily. Poison Ivy was no where to be seen. "Show yourself," Wonder Woman called. As if in response, the ground rumbled.

"You will regret coming here," Poison Ivy's voice called through her plants. A massive rose rose from the ground, and unfurled before them. A green-skinned woman with bright red hair and matching lips sat at the center of the giant flower. Her emerald skin was covered in small vines and leaves. She wore no clothing, save for an orange shirt with the "Arkham" logo on it. Poison Ivy gazed at the two intruders with faint rage in her eyes.

"What do you two want?" she asked, her voice low and seductive. "I usually don't get any fools crossing me outside of the Batman and his two little goons." She stroked the rose she sat in, looking at it as though it were the most beautiful thing on the planet. "Then again, it really doesn't matter. Neither of you can stop me. My children are hungry, and you two might make a decent meal for them. Well, maybe not the scrawny one."

"Hey!" Danny complained at being called scrawny.

Wonder Woman stepped forward and raised her blade. "Sister, your plants are destroying this island," she said, her voice steady. "If you don't stop, every person here will die!"

Ivy scoffed at Wonder Woman's statement. " _Good_ ," Ivy spat. "Humanity is a scourge, and it's long past due that nature reclaims her world."

Phantom rolled his eyes at the statement. "And I thought Vlad was a fruitloop," he muttered. "Listen, lady! We just want to put you back in your cell. Don't make me go all weed-whacker on your green butt!"

Ivy sneered at Phantom's comment. A large thorny vine smacked Danny in the head from behind. "Ow!" he yelped.

Ivy leaned forward scowling. "Watch your tongue," she warned him. Turning back to Wonder Woman, she said, "And as for you, I've had just about enough of your disapproving gaze."

Several massive vines suddenly grabbed Diana, who simply tore through them like paper. Ivy winced, and Wonder Woman flew at her opponent. A mutant venus flytrap grabbed Wonder Woman, engulfing her, and pulling her back down. Danny was about to assist Diana, when another odd chill stopped him cold. _'Again?'_ he thought as it quickly passed. Shaking his head, Phantom shot a green ecto beam at Poison Ivy, catching her off guard. She yelled in pain.

"Hmm, stronger than I thought," she sneered. A small smirk fell over her face. "Maybe I could use you, after all." The gardens were suddenly flooded with a strange pink mist. Danny felt very woozy all of the sudden. He wobbled on his feet, unsteady. He looked up to see Poison Ivy standing before him, a seductive look on her face. "Strong, aren't we?" she said, her voice sounding more... sexy? "I can fix that." She cupped one side of Danny's face with one hand. "All it takes is one little kiss."

* * *

Hawkgirl had searched high and low through the prison, beating the living crap out of any prisoner she came across. Or, in some cases, scaring the living crap out of them. She was a fearsome sight to behold in regular lighting, but in the dark red emergency lights, she must have appeared down right terrifying. Batman had told them that the criminals in Gotham were superstitious and cowardly.

Despite her efforts, however, she found no sign of Deathstroke. She cursed both him and herself. The coward had ran, and she had let him get away. She snarled, and slammed her mace into the wall in anger, causing a large crater. If only she hadn't let that sniper on the roof get a bead on her! If only-

"You shouldn't blame yourself," came a steady voice behind her. She whirled to see Martian Manhunter behind her. "I do not sense Deathstroke in the prison. Whatever he had come here to do, he must have completed his work and gone. He is a mercenary. The risk of staying to fight you or get arrested was not worth the reward, apparently."

Hawkgirl sighed in frustration. "Coward," she muttered.

J'onn looked at her damaged wing with worry. "You are hurt. We should get you medical attention," he said to her. "The prison has been retaken by the officers. The major criminals inside have been detained, and order is being restored. There is nothing more for us here. I-" He suddenly stopped, his eyes glowing, worry coating his features.

Hawkgirl waved her hand in front of his face. "What is it?" she asked.

"I sense Phantom and Wonder Woman are in danger," he replied.

* * *

Batman burst onto the roof of the Asylum to find Joker standing there in his torn straight jacket, holding a gun and grinning. His smirk seemed... darker than before. More evil, if such a thing were possible. "Well, look who decided to show up," Joker clucked. "My, my. Having fun on your little play date with your friends in tights?" Batman said nothing, and began moving towards his enemy. "Ah, ah, ah," said Joker, aiming his gun at Batman. "One more step, or she gets it."

Batman froze. "Before who gets it, Joker?"

Joker stepped aside to reveal none other than Harley Quinn standing at the edge of the roof. Harley was disheveled and paler than usual and her red and black hair was disheveled. She had a fearful look in her eyes. Genuine fear. Something had changed between her and Joker. Something bad. Joker aimed the gun at her without taking his eyes off Batman. "M- Mistah J?" she whimpered.

"Joker, stop this. _Now_ ," Batman warned, his voice like a glacier.

Joker laughed at the threat. "Just like old times, eh, Batsy? Remind you of... _that_ night?" he crowed.

Harley whimpered, slightly. "P-Puddn', you know I don't like heights, right?" she stated, softly.

Joker cocked the gun aimed at her, still looking at Batman. "Quiet, Harley," he said. "Don't ruin the fun. Besides, no one likes a third wheel."

Batman scowled at his most hated enemy. This was a new Joker. A darker, more deadly Joker. He had to keep on his toes. He tensed every muscle in his body, ready to pounce at a moments notice.

Harley clearly noticed this change, as well. "Y-You still l-love me, right, sweety?" she asked, softly.

Joker turned his head to look at her. "Oh, Harley," he sneered, his voice oozing cruelty. "Now, when have I _ever_ said I loved you?" He then began chuckling darkly.

Everything then happened at once, seemingly in slow motion. Batman leaped toward Joker, his fist heading for him, while Joker's finger pulled the trigger. The sound of Batman's fist connecting with Joker's skull sounded at the same time his gun fired. Joker fell unconscious, and Batman looked at Harley wobble at the edge, and tumble off. Wasting no time he launched himself after her. He reached her in mid-air, and grappled safely to the ground below.

He noticed the blood soaking through her Arkham clothing, near her shoulder. She was still alive. Barely. Harley had tears falling from her eyes, and moved her mouth, whispering something. Batman leaned in closely. "H-He's not my old Mistah J, anymore..." she whimpered, before passing out.

Batman put a finger to his ear. "Flash, get to the Asylum. Now," he said. Within a second, Flash rushed in front of them, panting softly.

"She's been shot," Batman explained. "Get her to a hospital. Hurry." Flash nodded, and scooped Harley in his arms, and they sped away. Batman looked to the botanical gardens, and noticed a faint red glow through what few windows he could see. _'Great,'_ he thought.

* * *

"All it takes is one little kiss," Ivy said softly, leaning towards Danny. Ivy then flinched violently, and whirled around to see Wonder Woman standing behind her, covered in slime, and clutching the dead toothed plant in her hands. "You just won't die, will you?" Ivy spat. Danny just stood there, feeling oddly light-headed. He knew he should be helping Diana, but why did he also feel like he should be helping Ivy?

Wonder Woman drew her blade, and advanced on Ivy, who didn't budge. Before Diana's blade could reach Ivy, several more vines appeared, only this time, they wrapped themselves around Danny! Wonder Woman halted her swing. "Try anything, and your friend dies," Ivy said, coldly.

Diana scowled at her enemy. "You are a cruel witch," Wonder Woman sneered.

Ivy ignored the comment, and turned to Phantom. "I admit, I'm curious as to why my spores haven't fully taken him over," she said. "It's as if he's only partly under my control, but the other half remains untouched." Suddenly, the glass roof above them shattered, and Batman glided in, throwing several ice grenades at the vines holding Danny; causing them to shatter. Ivy cried out in response, as if she herself were in pain. Wonder Woman seized the opportunity to grab Ivy with her glowing lasso.

Looking over to Batman, who was wearing a filter mask over his mouth and nose. "Ivy's spores can render males helpless to her will," he explained. He pulled out a small vile filled with blue fluid from his belt. "This should counter-act the effects." He pulled the cap, and waved the vile under Danny's nose.

Almost instantly, Phantom flinched back. "UUGGHH," he gagged. "That smells _horrible!_ It's worse than old gym socks mixed with skunk!"

"I know, but it works," Batman said.

The Dark Knight turned to Ivy, who looked disgusted. "You do realized this rope does nothing but hold me," she said. "I'm still in control! Nature always wins!" The ground began to shake violently, as more massive vines sprung from the ground. "Hell, I _am_ nature!"

Ivy then wretched violently, before shrieking in pain.

Outside, Green Lantern was using his power ring to mow down the mess of plant life infesting the island with several large light-construct saws! Reinforcements had arrived! Manhunter had summoned Green Lantern and Power Girl to Gotham after sensing how powerful Ivy had become, and the danger she was putting Phantom and Wonder Woman in.

Superman and Power Girl were outside as well, using their heat vision. As quickly as Ivy could summon more plants, the members of the Justice League were tearing them down. "Good thing J'onn is in telepathic contact with all of us," Superman commented. "Otherwise, you and Power Girl would still be in Civic City."

Lantern shrugged. "I don't know," he said, tearing another plant put by it's roots. "It still creeps me out, a little. Him being able to read out minds."

Power Girl burned down more plants with his heat vision. "Really, Lantern?" he asked. "You work alongside a speedster, five aliens; two of whom have wings, a ghost, an Amazon, a man dressed as a bat, and you have a ring that is fueled by willpower, yet simple telepathy creeps you out?"

Inside the gardens, Ivy fell to her knees, practically sobbing. " _Please,_ make them stop!" she begged. "I give up! My babies are dying! Just make them stop! Can't you hear their cries of pain?!"

"Honestly, no I don't," Danny said, shrugging. "I'm not much of a gardener." Soon, all of the renegade plants had been removed, and Ivy and the rest of the Arkham patients had been subdued. Law enforcement was finally taking control of the city again. As dawn approached, the Justice League had once more gathered on the roof of the GCPD. Hawkman had come with Lantern and Power Girl, but only to help his wife. No one was quite sure how to medically treat a Thanagarian other than the two of them. Shortly, he had bandaged her wing, though she wouldn't be flying easily for a time.

Batman walked outside to join his fellow League members. He had just spoken to Gordon, who gave him a report on what they had found. Batman explained that Deathstroke was likely hired by a gangster named Roman Sionis, also known as Black Mask. Sionis and several of his men had escaped during the Blackgate breakout. The sniper that shot Hawkgirl was indeed Deadshot, who had also escaped during the chaos. Bane and Freeze, as well as Penguin, were also in custody. Killer Croc and Scarecrow were also at large, having escaped the Asylum through the sewers, which explained why they were no where to be found in the Asylum.

Poison Ivy was back in her isolation tank in Arkham, and was likely to receive several life sentences to be carried out in the Asylum. Joker was once more in custody, as well; safely locked away. Harley Quinn was receiving medical treatment for her bullet wound. It would take time, and she had lost a lot of blood, but she would live. What would become of her once she had recovered was anyone's guess. As for the Asylum itself, it was damaged severely, but with a generous donation from Wayne Enterprises, it would soon be operational once more. And with tighter security.

"I'd say we did pretty well, tonight," Danny said. Flash and Superman nodded.

Batman narrowed his eyes. "Not well enough," he growled. "Several major criminals are now on the loose, and a great deal of damage was caused. This was no victory from where I stand. Still, that being said, none of us are dead. That's progress, I suppose." No one could argue with that.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing. This story is for fun, not for money of profit of any kind.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Urban Jungle**

At the old JSA headquarters in Civic City, currently serving as the JLA's temporary headquarters, the team was currently cleaning up the old mansion. After the events in Gotham a few days ago, everyone was more determined than ever to function as a unit. Silly as it may seem, J'onn suggested that they begin to learn to work together by not fighting crime, but cleaning the old mansion. By beginning with something so simple, they would begin to learn more about one another. "Sometimes, simplicity is the greatest teacher," he reasoned.

Flash argued that he could clean the entire place in under a minute, but Batman shot his argument down. Relying on one person's abilities alone in a given situation instead of utilizing everyone's strengths was a waste. And so, here they were. Members of the mighty Justice League of America; cleaning, dusting, installing modern electronics, painting, and scrubbing the years of dust away.

Danny Phantom, Superman, and Power Girl were in a large common room. On the walls hung rows of covered pictures and portraits. As the old tarps and sheets covering the pictures were removed, the room began to resemble a museum. It was an old gallery. Danny pointed to one of the pictures, floating up to it. "Oh, hey! I'm in that picture," he said cheerfully. "Well, I was invisible when it was taken, but still. I'm in it!" The picture in question was a large picture of the Wright brothers taken on the day of their first successful flight.

Superman and Power Girl looked up at the same time shocked and confused at Danny's statement. "You're kidding, right?" Power Girl snorted skeptically. "That picture was from 1903! How could you be in that picture?" Superman crossed his arms, also not believing Danny.

Phantom frowned at their skepticism. "It's true," he said. "I was there! I was trying to catch a ghost that was trying to keep them from ever flying! I stopped him, and made sure they didn't crash!"

Power Girl smirked at Danny's frustration. It was fun to tease him, she had found, because he would usually give a comical reaction if he was pushed far enough. The funny part was that Danny seemed utterly oblivious to his own antics. Still, she had to give him credit; the ghost didn't back down when he thought he was right. "You really expect us to believe that?" she asked him.

Danny threw his arms in the air, gesturing to some of the other paintings in frustration. "Yes!" he shouted. "I was also there." he pointed to an old Chinese monk temple painting. "And there!" he pointed to a painting of Salem, Massachusetts from the witch trials.

Superman chuckled softly and rubbed his jaw. "You saved the Wright brothers, and you were in ancient China and in Salem during the witch trials?" he asked.

Danny nodded furiously, as if it were the most plain truth in the universe. Suddenly, Martian Manhunter phased through the floor carrying a chair and broom. "For what it's worth, I can sense he isn't lying," he droned as he phased through the ceiling to the floor above. No one said a word for a moment, and stared humorously at the spot where the martian had floated through.

"See?" Phantom asked. "He knows I'm telling the truth!" Shaking his head in frustration once more, Danny stalked off. "Forget it," he muttered before turning invisible.

Superman frowned as Danny left. "Do you think we were a little hard on him?" the Man of Steel asked.

Power Girl looked thoughtful. "Maybe. Then again," she said. "He could have just been joking; trying to distract us from how _boring_ it is to be cleaning this mansion." The two Kryptonians shrugged and continued their work.

Phantom floated down the hallway fuming, no longer feeling like being part of the "team building". He passed Flash, who was moving a large computer for Batman. The Dark Knight had taken over one of the old storage rooms and was attempting to convert it into a lab. "Where are you going?" Flash asked. Danny shrugged.

"I'm going back to Amity Park," Danny huffed in reply. "Something came up. Just radio me if you guys need me." Flash nodded and Danny took off.

He wanted to spend some time with Sam, Tucker, and even Jazz. Even though his secret identity was out in the open with his family, it was still awkward. They were thankfully cool with him being part of the Justice League, but they still treated him like a son. They still made him take out the garbage, clean his room, and do his homework. Actually, spending some time at home sounded great. He couldn't be more pleased being part of a super hero team, but he was still a regular kid. Well, as regular a kid could be with ghost powers.

* * *

Superman walked into the lab where Batman was sitting in front of the computer he had set up with Flash's help. On the screen were the pictures of Scarecrow, Killer Croc, Deathstroke and Deadshot; the criminals that escaped during the Gotham break-outs. Batman stroked his chin, his dark bluish-black cowl locked in a perpetual scowl.

"You know, staring at a screen for so long can be bad for your eyes," Superman quipped. When Batman didn't answer, Superman rolled his eyes. "So, what do you think of the team?" the Man of Steel asked.

Batman thought about the question for a moment before answering. "Too early to tell," he said. "They still need work."

"Maybe so," Superman shrugged. "But we're all new to this, except for Hawkman and Hawkgirl. After all, I doubt the Justice Society got off the ground on the right foot right away. These things take time."

After several moments of silence, Batman went back to work on his computer. "Flash told me that Phantom headed home already," Batman commented.

Superman nodded. "That's right," he said. Crossing his arms, he asked Batman, "What do you think of him? Phantom, I mean."

"You mean aside from the fact that his footsteps make absolutely zero sound when he walks?" Batman asked.

Superman chuckled at that. "So, you noticed that, too?" And here, Clark only thought Kryptonians could hear that well.

"He seems competent when he's focused," Batman said, answering the original question. "He has several unusual abilities that science can't explain. He has decent deductive reasoning. Why do you ask?"

Superman shrugged. "Well, Danny, Power Girl, and myself were cleaning the old gallery," he said. "And Danny commented that he was in an old picture of the Wright brothers. It just got me thinking, how old is he, really?"

That got Batman's attention, and he turned around in his chair. "The Wright brothers?" Batman repeated, surprised. "That was well over a century ago. Then again, if he really is a ghost, who knows how old he could be."

Superman raised an eyebrow at the Caped Crusader. "I wasn't aware you were superstitious, Bruce," he commented.

"I'm not," Batman clarified. "But given the fact that I'm working on a team with several people with unique abilities, and I'm the only one here without any special powers, I refuse to discount anything off hand. Assuming that he _is_ dead, and he really is that old, that would mean he must have died as a kid. After all, what use would a ghost have to age? It makes logical sense that he would remain young and fit, instead of old and withered."

"That almost sounds like trust, Bruce," Superman said slyly.

Batman's glare hardened. "Only as far as I've worked with him before, just like I've worked with you," he growled. "In any case, I don't know enough about him. None of us do." Superman couldn't deny that. Phantom may be open and fun loving, as well as wear his emotions on his sleeve, but by the same token, he kept a lot of things secret. He rarely talked about himself. Who knows what else Danny Phantom was?

* * *

The next day, Danny Fenton awoke with a chill. He shivered and rubbed his arms before glancing at the clock. He was gonna be late for school! He jumped out of bed and ran to the shower. He turned it on as hot as it would go, but it still felt like ice water.

Gasping, he shut it off and turned intangible to dry himself off. He put on his clothes and grabbed his heavy winter jacket. He grabbed his backpack and ran down the stairs past the kitchen yelling goodbye to his family as he flew out the door. He ran into Tucker down the block. "Hey, dude," Tucker said. "Almost thought you were out with the League, or something."

"N-No," Danny explained, his teeth chattering. "W-We only get together once a week." It was true, the JLA only got together when there was something going on except for their weekly meeting; usually on the weekends. It was Danny who made that suggestion. He managed to reason that almost everyone in the League had a secret identity, so naturally they had lives outside the mask and cape. Batman and Superman concurred, and the decision was made.

After meeting Sam at her house, the trio passed a large urban development construction site on their way to school. Several city workers were working hard to remove trees and flowering bushes with either bulldozers or chainsaws. The early stages of what would be a large building was slowly being erected, jackhammers loudly banging away at the ground and large earth movers were busy moving around from one place to another. "Ugh, urban blight," Sam huffed in disgust. " _So_ thrilled to live in the 21st century."

"Me, too," Tucker replied cheerfully. "That new arcade in the new strip mall, next to the new hot dog place looks _awesome!_ And new."

Danny chuckled in agreement, though he was still rubbing his arms. "I know," Danny concurred. "Besides, Sam, there's nothing wrong with a little... p-p-p-progress."

"Yeah," Tucker said. "Vlad's new beautification campaign is very progressive." They looked up to see a massive billboard with a picture of Vlad, the new mayor of Amity Park, driving a bulldozer and knocking over a tree. The slogan read, ' _ **Mayor Vlad Says: Who Cares About Nature? The Future is Concrete!**_ ' It definitely screamed Vlad Masters. Arrogant, pompous, egotistical. Nonetheless, Vlad's new program had created dozens of new jobs, and that was enough to make people support it.

"No, just progressively worse," Sam argued. "Seriously, messing with nature can be a dangerous thing." As a bulldozer knocked over yet another tree, the ground began to quake violently. Danny gasped as his ghost sense went off, and looked down at his feet. Giant cracks began cutting through the pavement, and grass and weeds pushed their way to the surface. As the cracks continued to grow, a gigantic purple venus flytrap covered in nasty thorns rose several stories above the ground.

The mouth of the plant opened and revealed a large, black brain with two bloodshot eyes hanging from it. The thing dripped green slime as vines began to protrude from the brain, quickly covering the plant thing all the way to the ground. This was instantly followed by leaves and bushes rising up to cover the vines. Danny, Sam and Tucker stared in wide-eyed disbelief as the plant structure glowed bright green for a moment before lurching around.

The leaves exploded, revealing a vaguely humanoid entity, which bellowed and clenched it's fist. The thing appeared to be made up entirely of vines, and had a masculine shape. It had large black spines protruding out it's head and neck like a mohawk. Large green mushroom caps covered the thing's shoulders like armor, and two massive thorny vines covered it's chest in a "v" pattern. It's long, dangling green eyebrows came down in a perpetual frown over red eyes. The things mouth was a beak-like structure with thorny teeth. A large mossy cloak completed the terrifying look. The being towered over everything as it addressed the onlookers.

" _Flesh-dwellers,"_ the thing seethed, it's voice growled and echoed. "You have caused pain to my children once too often!" It's arm extended to pick up the fallen tree, sending the workers fleeing in terror. It held the fallen tree close to it's chest, and announced, "Now, you, too, shall feel pain! The pain of _Undergrowth!"_ The ghostly being called Undergrowth launched thorn covered vines out of it's chest and crushed the nearby bulldozers and dump trucks.

"Anybody got a weed whacker?" Tucker asked fearfully.

"Pitiful human race," Undergrowth bellowed. "Your _progress_ has destroyed acres of my children. Now, I shall destroy _you,_ to make room for my new offspring!"

"I completely dig where your coming from," Sam said. "But there are better ways to go about this. Start a non-profit, organize a petition-" Sam was interrupted by Undergrowth snarling and heaving a crushed bulldozer at the building under construction behind them, leveling it to the ground. "Or, you could destroy things," Sam said, weakly. Undergrowth bellowed and turned his attention to the other buildings nearby.

Danny had seen enough. "Going g-g-g-g-ghost!" he shivered. Twin rings of light ran across his body revealing Danny Phantom in his place. Danny flew up to Undergrowth, his fist glowing green. "Sorry," he called. "I don't have much of a green thumb!" He blasted a ghost ray out of his hand, severing Undergrowth's arm. "And now, neither do you!"

As the arm clutching the bulldozer fell, several vines wrapped around Sam and Tucker, threatening to crush them. "Danny!" they yelled. Phantom flew in, barely saving his friends from being crushed. Setting them down, they turned to Undergrowth, who had grown a new arm. "Undergrowth, huh?" Danny commented, flying past the behemoth plant ghost and blasting the newly grown arm off once more. As a new arm took it's place, Phantom blasted clean through Undergrowth's chest leaving a large hole. "Looks to me like your _overgrown!_ "

Danny tried to end the fight by blasting Undergrowth's head clean off his shoulders, but several vines pulled the head back into place and stitched himself back together! "You can't destroy a being who can regenerate himself," Undergrowth announced. The plant ghost then summoned numerous and deadly venus flytraps, causing Danny to fly hard to get away. The massive wall of thorns and teeth followed Phantom everywhere, including straight up the side of a building.

The ghost boy doubled back, and formed a large glowing green ball of ecto-energy in his hands. "He can't regenerate if he's a pile of ashes," he said with determination. As he was about to launch the energy, he was suddenly over-whelmed by the intense chill within him. "C-c-cold," he shivered in shock. The vines chasing him caught him quickly, wrapping him up.

Sam and Tucker were also captured. The three were lifted by the vines to Undergrowth's level, who scrutinized them for a moment. "Such limited lifeforms," Undergrowth growled. "Although instant destruction _is_ an option, I feel that re-plantingwould be more... _productive._ "

Undergrowth's head then split open, and countless spores floated out of the ghost's head and wafted towards the three. "Sleep spores," Danny exclaimed.

Sam yawned, suddenly drowsy. "At least their full of ginkgo biloba," she said sleepily. Despite his vision blurring and darkness closing in and being tied up, Danny had the presence of mind to press the emergency call button on his Justice League communicator located on his belt. Thankfully, Undergrowth tied him up with his arms at his sides... this was too big a challenge... even... for... him...

Undergrowth chuckled quietly as Danny's eyes fell shut. "Rejoice," he said softly. "For a new era is taking root..."

* * *

Danny awoke with a start and realized he was still tied up with vines to a massive tree. Next to him, Tucker was tied up as well. "Holy hibiscus," Danny exclaimed, seeing the entire city of Amity Park covered in plant life. "The whole city is a giant, over-grown backyard!"

Two large blue toothed plants were eyeing Tucker hungrily. "I never eat my vegetables," Tucker said. "Why is it fair they get to eat me?"

Danny struggled in vain to free himself, but to no avail. "Ugh, no good," he said. "These vines are like steel cables! With sap!"

Undergrowth suddenly rose in front of his captives, forming from the plants below. "Yes," Undergrowth chuckled. "The growth is far stronger than any _meat_ creature. No matter how powerful they think they are."

Danny was about to shoot ghost rays at his enemy when two large flowers covered his hands. "These ghost plants are blocking my ghost energy," Danny gasped. "Can't go intangible, either!"

"Perhaps one day you will see that this is what nature intended all along," Undergrowth said, lovingly scratching the chins of several giant ghostly venus fly traps. "Mankind is merely a temporary weed in the garden of life. A weed... that _can be removed._ "

The more Undergrowth spoke, the more he reminded Danny of Poison Ivy. Only far, far less attractive "Danny Phantom bows to no plant," Danny shouted in defiance.

Tucker raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Bow? We can't even wriggle our fingers!"

"Your pessimistic but accurate friend is right. Observe," Undergrowth commented., gesturing grandly to the plant covered Amity Park. "You once proud, progressive metropolis." A massive, black, slimy plant brain sprouted from the center of town, it's vines trapping people left and right. "The Mind Vine enables me to control the inhabitants every movement." People like Dash and Kwan had vines coming out the backs of their heads; their eyes glowing green in a form of overshadowing. The people of Amity Park were busy tearing down buildings. Even Danny's parents and Jazz!

"No! Not them! Let them go!" Danny yelled.

"Why should I burden myself with the destruction of your city when it's own citizens can do it for me?" Undergrowth continued. "Once the way is cleared, my children will be planted, and grow anew!" Down below, other drones were planting seeds which almost instantaneously sprouted into fully grown trees. " _My_ consciousness, _my_ will, shall spread throughout the globe. And the concrete jungles shall become _real_ jungles." Undergrowth cackled victoriously.

Tucker looked around in shock. "He's controlling everyone! After us, there's nobody left," he exclaimed.

Danny suddenly realized that someone was missing. Sam! "Wait a minute, where's Sam?" he asked.

"Ah, yes, the female," Undergrowth grinned. "Every garden needs a caretaker." A large purple rose opened up, and Sam floated from the petals! Her clothes were missing; replaced by a dress made of leaves. She wore no trousers or shoes, and wore gloves made of moss that went past her forearms. Her hair was no longer neat, and was in a jagged messy style. Her eyes were pure green. Vines held her aloft.

"Sam," Danny exclaimed in shock.

"Green's a good color on you," Tucker commented.

"Her love of vegetation makes her the perfect choice to work along side me," Undergrowth said. "I can show her the ropes, or vines, so to speak." Clearly, Undergrowth had not met Poison Ivy. That... was definitely a good thing. The two of them together would have been unstoppable!

"Flesh-walkers," Plant Sam said, her voice low and seductive; just like Poison Ivy's. "Your bodies are needed for work." A vine latched on to the back of Tucker's head, rendering him another drone. "And nourishment," Plant Sam continued. She raised her arms above her head, summoning a ferocious plant creature unlike anything Danny had ever seen. Oh, yeah. Ivy would definitely be proud.

"You can't win," Danny shouted to Undergrowth. "If I can't stop you, someone w-w-will!"

"Really? Such as?" Undergrowth asked. Two blasts of heat vision struck Undergrowth from behind, causing Plant Sam to gasp.

"Such as us," Superman announced. Several members of the Justice League had arrived! Just in time! "We've already taken down one plant controlling criminal this week. I guess you'll have to be the second." That statement got Undergrowth's attention.

Flash looked around at all the plants. "Ugh, plants again?" he complained. The League jumped into action, warding off plants summoned by Undergrowth.

As the menacing plant that Sam had summoned drew closer to Danny, he shivered even harder. He began glowing an icy blue, and ice began coating the plants that held him down. "B-b-back... _off!"_ he shouted. He pulled with all his might and shattered the vines holding him! He took off to join his team, flying past Plant Sam.

"Stop him!" bellowed Undergrowth.

Plant Sam moved with inhuman speed, blocking Danny's path. She grinned darkly. "Join us, Danny," she said. "The growth is family."

"Already got one, thanks," Danny retorted. "And I'm still working the bugs out of it!" Several vines grasped Danny's arms, and as he struggled, he began to glow blue, once more and froze the plants until they shattered. He launched himself up to where Superman was floating. He and Power Girl were floating high above the City, attempting to burn the plants below with their heat vision. "Thanks for g-g-g-getting here so fast, guys," Danny said.

"Don't mention it," Superman said.

Power Girl looked over at Danny, concerned. He looked terrible. "You okay?" she asked.

"I d-d-don't know," Danny admitted. "I c-c-can't warm up. At least he can't get to us up here. No such thing as flying plants!"

As if in answer, Undergrowth rose straight up to face them, more massive than before! _"I AM EVERYWHERE!"_ he bellowed. The plants were too huge, and Danny, Power Girl and Superman were forced to retreat.

"He might be everywhere out here," Danny said to the others. "B-b-but I know one place he's not!" They continued to fly over head, still being chased by the supernatural plants.

* * *

Batman was throwing ice grenades and explosive Batarangs at the attacking vines. This was far beyond anything Poison Ivy could create. Some of the plants even turned intangible! _"Your weapons might not work on Undergrowth,"_ Danny said over the comlink to Batman. _"Undergrowth is a ghost; m-m-meaning he has all the ghost-based powers I d-d-do."_

"I gathered that," Batman responded. He dodged a vine that slammed down behind him.

Undergrowth appeared before Batman in human size. "Pitiful human," he said, smirking. "I must admit, I'm impressed with your skill. You've clearly dealt with plants similar to mine before." The plant ghost's voice set Batman on edge. It sounded vaguely like Joker's. Someone he did not want to think about right now.

"I've dealt with a woman who can control plants on more than one occasion," Batman said.

Undergrowth raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked. "What's she like? Is she single?"

"Don't you already have a garden mother?" Batman asked. He knew he was taking a risk, but he had to try and distract Undergrowth for the others.

Undergrowth shrugged. "Indeed," he said. "But even a gardener as skilled as her could use a mother, herself. We could be one big happy family, the three of us!" Batman dodged another vine, before realizing he was surrounded. As he was about to call for help, several vines lashed onto him. Another pierced the back of his cowl! His eyes turned green, and his expression went blank. Undergrowth chuckled, and withdrew back into the growth.

Flash noticed, and sped over, easily dodging the deadly plants all around him. After he reached Batman, he noticed the Dark Knight's face was utterly blank. "Hey, guys," Flash said. "There's a weird vine coming out of Batman's head! I'm going to try to pull it out!"

" _No!"_ came the shout from over the com from both Danny and Martian Manhunter, causing Flash to flinch. _"D-d-don't touch that,"_ Phantom said, his teeth chattering.

" _Indeed,"_ came J'onn's voice. _"I can sense it, too. Flash, if you remove that vine, it may cause permanent damage to Batman. It is fused to his skull, and it's energy is deeply rooted inside his brain and could cause severe brain damage; even death; if it is removed."_

"So, what do I do?" Flash asked.

 _"N-n-nothing,"_ Phantom replied. _"We c-c-can only defeat Undergrowth! It's the only thing we can do!"_

In the air, Martian Manhunter had joined Phantom, Superman, and Power Girl. Together, they had beaten back Undergrowth's vines, when Danny felt another violent chill inside. "T-too... c-cold," he muttered. "Can't stay airborne!" No longer able to fly, he fell and collided with Power Girl who was flying below him. She grunted as he struck her in the back, and she in turn had clipped J'onn. The three tumbled somewhat comically in a ball to the ground. They crashed through the street and into the sewers. Superman called out to them as they fell.

"Flash, go help them," Superman called. "I'll hold off Undergrowth!"

Superman blasted his heat vision at Undergrowth, who grunted but regenerated. "Just how long are you going to keep that up?" Undergrowth asked. "You can't stop me with your heat rays!" Grunting in response, Superman took in a large breath and blew freezing icy breath at the plant. Undergrowth yelled out in pain.

"So, ice is your weakness," Superman commented. As he drew in another breath, and duplicate of Undergrowth grew behind him and launched a mind vine at the Man of Steel. The vine bounced off his head, and Undergrowth sneered.

"Thick skinned, hmm? Easily remedied!" The vine turned intangible and went _through_ his skull! Superman yelled out in pain before all he saw was green...

* * *

"What the heck was that for?!" Power Girl shouted in disgust as she wiped the sewer water off her face.

"I'm s-s-sorry," Danny said, shivering and wrapping his arms around his chest. "I d-d-didn't mean it! I'm just so c-c-cold..."

Power Girl's expression softened into one of concern. He really did look terrible. Worse than before, even. Ice and frost were now starting to coat his hair, and his glowing eyes betrayed his exhaustion. "We are not alone down here," J'onn interrupted as he stood.

Suddenly, Plant Sam appeared from down the tunnel, surrounded by thorns and vines. "Become, Danny," she said. "Become part of the growth!" Danny told everyone to run, and they retreated down the sewers away from Plant Sam. It was too narrow to for them to fly, so they had to move the old fashioned way. On foot!

The Flash then blurred past and ran beside them. As they sped down the sewer tunnel, Flash asked, "What do we do?"

"W-we n-need to get to the FentonWorks building," Danny replied. "And fast!" Flash grinned and took the cue. He had past the absurd building earlier. He grabbed everyone and sped through the sewers at lightning speed. As they exited the sewers, they stood in front of the FentonWorks building. "G-got to get... inside," Danny whispered. Power Girl looked on in shock as Danny's skin turned an unnatural shade of ice-blue and ice now fully covered his hair.

Before she could do anything, every sewer grate along the street exploded with vines. The plants came together to form numerous heads of Undergrowth, which howled and growled. They ran to the building as Undergrowth launched numerous giant thorns at them, which pierced the street and houses nearby. Danny led them through the kitchen into the basement as the plants burst through the doors and windows upstairs; consuming the house.

They stood before a hole in the wall, which glowed and swirled in the same shade of green as Phantom's eyes. "The Ghost Zone," Danny muttered. "Our only chance!" They quickly made their way to the portal when the plants flowed through the basement door.

Plant Sam blocked the way to the Ghost Zone, and said, "Stay, Danny. Stay and rule with me."

"I always thought you ruled, Sam," Phantom replied. "Just not like this. I'll b-be back. And I'll save you... And everyone! I promise!" This enraged Plant Sam, who growled and bared her teeth. She launched several vines at them, and Phantom quickly grabbed Power Girl and J'onn and turned them intangible, while Flash merely dodged them. They all jumped into the Ghost Zone entrance. Behind them, the doorway was covered by vines...

Inside the Ghost Zone, everyone but Danny looked around in surprise. All around them was a swirling green... everything. Purple doors and the occasional island of rock floated everywhere. "Where are we?" Flash asked.

"The G-g-g-g-ghost Zone," Danny replied weakly, shivering. He wrapped his arms around himself tightly. He took off, with Power Girl and J'onn behind him. Manhunter was carrying Flash, as there was no land for him to run on. "Only one person... who c-c-can help us. I just hope I manage to steer us in the r-r-right direction."

"Who is it that can help us?" J'onn asked. This place was utterly fascinating to him. He had never seen anything like it before, even on Mars. It wasn't often that he could be filled with such awe.

"A g-ghost named F-f-f-frostbite," Danny answered. "He's a ghost that lives in a cold and snowy area of the Ghost Z-z-zone."

Power Girl flew up beside Danny with worry, as the ghost's eyes closed. He was still awake, but he was fading. She put an arm around him and carried him in the same direction he had led them. She shared an uncertain glance with Manhunter and Flash, but they realized they had no other option but to continue ahead.

After what seemed like an hour, they group finally found an area covered in ice, and the temperature was frigid. Even Power Girl and J'onn noticed the extreme temperature. "There," Danny said before passing out. They landed in the snow, and Power Girl held the unconscious Phantom in her arms. Flash gasped at the cold and began vibrating his molecules to keep warm. Within moments of landing, a hover craft roared above them. Two yeti-looking beings rode in the vehicle.

"Intruders located, sir," one of the hairy creatures growled. "Shall we blast them to bits to prove our superiority?"

The other being, who looked older and had one arm covered in ice with it's bones visible through the ice. He also wore a blue cape and a golden band around one arm. It was clear he was the leader. "These are no mere intruders," he said, noticing the unconscious Danny Phantom, and jumped from the hover craft. He stood larger than any of the JLA members. They braced themselves for a battle. "It is a friend in need."

He looked at the other members of team. "Tell me, who are you?" he asked. "And why do you carry the Great One?" Power Girl and J'onn glanced at one another. Great One?

"We are friends of Danny Phantom, and we seek your assistance," J'onn answered. "Phantom believed you would be able to help us."

"I see," Frostbite said. "Any friend of the Great One's is a friend to us! Now, let me see him." He walked over to Power Girl and took Phantom from her arms. "Hmm," he said. "We must hurry! He will not last much longer in this condition! We shall return to the city at once!" They quickly followed Frostbite's craft across the icy terrain. Soon, they passed a large snow drift, and came to a bustling city-sized village filled with other yeti-like ghosts. The village was made up of a contradiction of basic huts and advanced technological buildings.

"Huh, quaint," Flash commented.

"Quickly, this way," Frostbite said, jumping off his hover craft and carrying Danny. He led them into a cave that, inside, was incredibly advanced. He spoke to several other yet ghosts, who quickly went to work on removing Danny's jumpsuit, leaving him with only his underwear.

"What are you doing?" Power Girl asked, a little taken back.

Frostbite regarded her as the other ghosts worked on Phantom. "We are going to place the Great One in a de-icing chamber," Frostbite answered. "It will work best if he is not wearing his clothing. As for why, I shall explain everything once he regains consciousness. In the mean time, would you like something warmer to wear? Or perhaps some hot chocolate?" The three heroes glanced at each other, uncertain. This was... not quite what they expected.

"Why do you call him 'Great One'?" J'onn asked.

"Ah, yes," Frostbite said as the other ghost fitted a helmet with a clear mask over Danny's head. "My people call him that because he is the savior of the Ghost Zone, of course!"

"Savior?" Flash repeated, not certain he heard the large ghost correctly.

Frostbite nodded grandly. "Yes," he said. "He is the legendary warrior who defeated the tyrant known as Pariah Dark! So his moniker of 'Great One' is aptly so."

Frostbite suddenly slapped his forehead, as if remembering something. "Silly me," he said. "In my rush to help the Great One, I had completely forgotten my manners! My name is Frostbite, and I am the leader of my people here in the Realm of the Far Frozen. Please forgive my forgetfulness!"

"Please, no apologies are needed," J'onn said, holding up his hand. "My name is J'onn, and these are my comrades, Power Girl and the Flash. Together, along with Phantom, we are members of the Justice League. The League serves to protect the innocent people of Earth. I must say, your facilities here are very impressive; for I have never seen such a unique and perfect blending of technology and tradition."

"Why, thank you, my green friend!" Frostbite grinned. He turned his attention to Danny, who had been submerged in a vertical tank of fluid that was too thick to be water alone. The sight made Flash and Power Girl think of Star Wars.

"How long will he have to be in there?" Power Girl asked. She wanted Danny to be okay, but time was of the essence. Who knows what was happening back home?

"Not long," Frostbite confirmed, looking over Danny's vitals on a wall screen. "The fluid in the de-icing chamber warms the patient from the inside out for a short time. This will allow him to regain consciousness very quickly." As if on cue, Danny began to twitch and move around slightly inside the chamber. Frostbite stood in front of the chamber, grinning widely.

"Ha ha, good morning, sleeping beauty!" Frostbite said kindly as Danny's eyes opened and he looked around surprised.

"Frostbite," Danny exclaimed. "Hey, where am I?" He looked down at himself and realized he was only wearing underwear. "And where are my clothes?!" He looked around and blushed furiously when he saw Power Girl standing nearby. He quickly and awkwardly tried to cover himself in vain.

"This is a medical facility in the Realm of the Far Frozen," Frostbite explained. "And you are floating in a de-icing chamber. Your clothes are in the wash; there were a lot of burs in your shirt. As for what happened, I'm afraid you're going to have to tell me, Great One."

"Well, what I can tell you isn't good," Danny said. "Amity Park; my home; completely over-run by Undergrowth; a psycho, freaky plant ghost."

Frostbite nodded and turned to a computer. After a moment, a hologram of Undergrowth appeared before them. "I have head tell of this Undergrowth," Frostbite said. "A powerful ghost, he is. Capable of regenerating himself, and generating numerous killer offspring. Nearly impossible to defeat."

"Oh, tell me about it," Flash said, glumly. "Most of the rest of the League are under his control. Even Superman."

"Yeah, we tried to stop him," Danny added. "But I don't remember much once the cold sensation started taking me over."

"Ah, yes, the 'cold sensation'," Frostbite said, walking over to a large wall monitor. On the screen was an outline of Danny, as well as several large pages of text. "Your central core reading indicates extreme cold, as if your body is self-generating it. I sensed it within you the last time we met."

"How is that possible?" Danny asked. None of the JLA members had an answer for that.

Frostbite laughed at the statement and replied, "You become invisible, pass through solid objects, and emit beams of energy from your hands, and you ask, 'how is this possible'?"

"You mean, this is a new ghost power?" Danny asked, surprised.

"Precisely," Frostbite confirmed. "Though new to you, it may be, rest assured it is an ability very familiar to my people! We are quite well trained in it's use." Frostbite held out his hand and formed an ice crystal and with his other hand, he formed a small ice statue of Danny. The ice crystal in his hand then changed into a wicked ice blade. "Of course, there are more practical uses for it, as well. GGAHHH!" He swung the blade forcefully, and cleaved the ice statue in two, causing the JLA members to wince.

"Teach me," Danny said. He then glanced down at himself. "Uh, when my clothes are ready."

* * *

Within a matter of moments, word had spread throughout the Far Frozen that the Great One was in the village, and that Frostbite was to teach him in their ways. Shortly, everyone had gathered at a large training range, surrounded by seemingly the entire city. Frostbite stood with Danny in the center of the icy field, while the rest of the JLA sat with the crowd. They had been given heavy winter garb to wear, because even Martians and Kryptonians felt the intense and brutal cold there.

"Wh-why are there so many of your p-p-eople watching us?" Danny asked. Once out of the de-icing chamber, Danny felt the intense cold begin to consume him, once more. But it wasn't nearly as bad as before.

Frostbite replied to his young friend, "Ha! It is not every moon that my people get an opportunity to see their leader train one as legendary as you, O' Great One!"

"You mean their hoping I'll mess up, huh?" Danny deadpanned.

"Indeed," Frostbite explained, placing a large hand on Danny's shoulder. "These people live in a frozen wasteland. They take their comedy where they can get it. Now then, lesson one: Stop shivering."

"I- I c-can't!" Danny said.

"This is because the cold is contained within you," Frostbite said. "And ever since you acquired your ghost abilities, you have only been letting it out in small amounts."

"Like when?" Phantom asked.

"Every time you sense a ghost is near by," Frostbite replied.

"My ghost sense? That's been a part of this freeze power all along?" Danny wondered. Now that he thought about it, it explained a lot. Whenever his ghost sense went off in the past, he had felt a cold chill running up his spine.

"But now you must learn to let it out all at once," Frostbite said. "Now then, concentrate. Let the energy build until it has nowhere to go, but out!"

"Okay, here goes" Danny said. He closed his eyes and focused. For a moment, nothing happened, but then he began to glow in an intense blue light. The glowing began to pulse faster and faster, until it exploded outward! Danny gasped and fell on his backside. "Hey! Wow! It worked! I feel normal, again! No more cold feeling! Wait to go, Frostbi-, oh."

Danny looked over to see Frostbite frozen in a block of ice in a comical pose, giving Danny two thumbs up, and a large toothy grin on his face. In the stands, Power Girl face-palmed. "Um, can I get some hot chocolate over here?" Danny asked, embarrassed.

Flash stood up, and said, "I got him." In a blur of red and lightning, he circled Frostbite, and quickly thawed out the yeti ghost.

"Why, thank you, Red One!" Frostbite said to Flash.

Now that Phantom had his cold feeling under control, the real work began. Set up were several large targets. Frostbite's arms glowed blue, and he shot several large ice spikes at the targets, causing the crowd to cheer. Frostbite nodded to Danny. "Surely he can't miss," Power Girl said to the others. "Those targets are huge!"

They watched as Phantom launched his own ice spikes. However, Power Girl was forced to eat her words as the ice spikes missed their targets by a mile and flew into the panicked crowd, causing everyone watching to wince. "Oh, for God's sake!" Power Girl muttered, once more face-palming, this time joined by Flash. J'onn simply observed calmly.

"Ooh," Frostbite said, concerned. "That must have hurt."

Up next was a form of skeet shooting, and Frostbite demonstrated by shooting ice beams from his eyes at the flying discs. Much like Superman and Power Girl's heat vision, only the opposite temperature. When Danny, tried, however, he ended up freezing a large portion of the crowd. "Great," huffed Frostbite. "We're not going to sell any snacks, now."

Flash rolled his eyes and sped over to the frozen audience members. "I'm on it..."

Despite having a rocky start, Phantom eventually began to get the hang of his new powers under Frostbite's teachings. Quickly, he had mastered the basics, and soon, everyone was gathered at the edge of the city. The JLA members were getting anxious to get back to Amity Park and stop Undergrowth. "I guess this is goodbye, for now," Phantom said to Frostbite. "I don't know how I could ever thank you and your people enough."

"You can thank us by using your new abilities to rid your world of the evil ghost vermin that infests it," Frostbite said, grinning.

"Yeah," Danny said, sadly. "I-I just... What if we can't beat him? What if we don't have a home to go back to? What if the others are really gone for good?"

"Hey, chin up, Danny," Power Girl said, putting a reassuring hand on Danny's shoulder. "We got your back. We'll save your city, and the others. You ain't in this alone, you know!" Flash and Manhunter nodded in agreement.

"Indeed," Frostbite said. "Fear is natural, Danny Phantom. Charging into battle _despite_ the fear is what makes someone a hero. A hero must always believe that he or she will win. And your new abilities just may help. Be mindful. You control the power; it does not control you."

Frostbite held out his hand to Danny, which Phantom shook. Unfortunately, he also froze Frostbite's hand in the process. "Uh, sorry," Danny said, sheepishly. Frostbite nodded, understanding.

J'onn stepped foreward. "There is a great deal I wish to learn about your people," he said to the Far Frozen leader. "Perhaps, once the crisis is averted, I could return to learn more from you?"

Frostbite smiled at the Martian. "We would be honored," he said. "Perhaps the rest of your 'Justice League' could accompany you! As I said when we first met, any friends of the Great One's are friends to us!"

Bidding farewell, the four JLA member headed back to the Fenton Portal. "Now, let's go kick some plant ass!" Power Girl said.

"Should we call in the others?" Flash asked. "We could really use some help!"

"No," J'onn replied. "If we fail, they will be Earth's only hope. It would do no good if they, too, fall under Undergrowth's control like Batman and Superman, or worse. Before we arrived in Amity Park, Batman had me send a mental signal to the others, alerting them of the situation. If we fail, they will take up the battle and stop the spread of the plants. Wonder Woman is assembling her forces on her her home island of Themyscira, and Green Lantern has alerted other members of the Green Lantern Corps in this area of space to lend assistance if needed," J'onn explained. Hawkman and Hawkgirl were taking a short time off, so that Hawkgirl could recover from her encounter with Deathstroke.

* * *

They slipped back in through the Portal, and noticed everything had gone pitch black inside the basement. "If the lab looks like this, I can't imagine the rest of the town," Danny said. They joined hands and Danny turned them intangible as they went outside. As they left, the vines covering the lab twitched and moved...

"Whoa," Flash muttered as they gazed upon the plant covered city. Everything was dead silent and nothing was moving. No signs of the people, either. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

" _Danny"_ , came Sam's voice through the silence.

Danny turned in the direction of the voice and flew towards it, with the others in tow. "This place is deserted," Phantom said. "No signs of human life anywhere. We better find-"

" _Danny,"_ came Sam's voice once more, this time coming from the gargantuan tree in the middle of the former construction sight. As they approached, they noticed the tree had an unnatural look to it. The leaves were giving off a pinkish glow. _"Welcome back,"_ Sam's voice echoed. The bark separated, and Plant Sam floated out, carried by vines. She was now wearing a frightening outfit. A horned headdress framed her face, and a long flowing cape with a tall collar hung on her shoulders. She wore a dark green plant themed jumpsuit, and long thorn covered gloves. "I thought you'd gone for good."

"Sam, we have to get you out of here," Danny said.

"No, I like it here," Plant Sam replied, as more vines lovingly surrounded her, almost as if they were cuddling with her. "Undergrowth has made all things new. They... _need_ me. I'm their new mother."

"What?" Danny said. "You won't even babysit your cousins! We have to get out of here, now. Where's everybody else?"

Plant Sam snapped her fingers, and large roses arose from the growth, and opened to reveal the captured and unconscious people, including the members of the Justice League! Phantom, Flash and Martian Manhunter gasped at the sight. "Kal!" shouted Power Girl as she saw her cousin in such a helpless state.

"What are you doing with them?" Phantom demanded.

" _They_ will be as nutrients for the children," Plant Sam announced. "All that matters now are the children."

"RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGH!" Undergrowth rose behind them, larger and more frightening than before! "And you all will make a fine meal for them, too," he growled, his voice echoing loudly. Faster than before, he backhanded the four heroes away and into a patch of cactus.

"Look out," Flash said, as they quickly escaped the prickly plants. Several spikes shot toward them.

Plant Sam snapped her fingers once more, and the zombified Superman, still with a vine attached to the back of his skull, flew to attack them. "I'll handle Undergrowth, you guys handle Superman," Danny shouted. He flew up to attack Undergrowth, and severed the plant ghost's arm with a large ball of ghost energy. Undergrowth flinched, but simply regrew his arm like before.

The controlled Superman wasn't pulling any punches. He was acting like he was fighting Darkseid. All out power. He callously swatted Manhunter away like a paper doll. Fortunately, Undergrowth didn't know all of Superman's powers. Power Girl used her speed to grab her cousin in a full nelson and trapped his arms. "Kal," she said. "Listen to me! Stop fighting! It's me! Kara!"

The zombified Superman struggled, but he and Power Girl were nearly at equal strength. Flash was throwing punches at lightning speed at the trapped Superman, trying to wear him down. But it only succeeded in making his fists hurt. "Wow, they aren't kidding when they call him the 'Man of Steel'," Flash said rubbing his knuckles. "It's like punching a solid metal wall! Nothing is fazing him!"

Superman lashed out with a kick, and nailed Flash in the side, sending him flying. He managed to get free of Power Girl's grasp and punched her full on in the jaw. Power Girl looked shocked as she got to her feet. Rubbing her jaw, she smirked slightly. "Alright, then," she said, popping her neck. "You wanna go down that road, Cuz? Fine! Bring it on!" The two Kryptonians collided head on, causing a large shockwave.

Phantom, meanwhile was dealing with three large cactus ghosts. Have you ever been punched by a giant evil cactus? Not fun! The onslaught was too much for the young ghost fighter, and he was quickly captured by the vines. Plant Sam floated in front of him, and said, "You must take root! Become one with us!"

"Stop, please," Danny practically begged. "Sam, you can't let him win! No! Wait!" Phantom was dragged below the surface by the vines.

"You have done well, daughter," cackled Undergrowth. " _You_ shall have the honor of feeding him to the children when he is ripe!"

Plant Sam smiled darkly at the thought. "Yes, father."

Martian Manhunter had rejoined the effort to subdue the Man of Steel, and with his strength, he and Power Girl had succeeded in holding Superman down. Flash was currently running in a vortex around him, slowly depriving him of air. Slowly, but surely, Superman began to loose consciousness and passed out.

Under ground, Phantom was struggling to free himself, when Frostbite's words of wisdom ran through his mind. "Let.. me... _GO_!" Danny's eyes glowed and icy blue, and an eruption of icy energy blasted from the hole. Everyone looked up in shock as Danny Phantom floated above them, his body glowing an intense bright blue. "Bundle up," he said. "It's gonna get chilly!" he threw a shockwave of ice that froze Undergrowth in a block of ice. Undergrowth shattered his icy prison with a snarl and flung his massive form at the young hero.

Phantom managed to dodge the plant villain's strikes, and let loose a ghost ray of ice cold energy from his hands. Undergrowth recoiled in pain. He tried to catch Danny in with a vine snare, but Danny simply froze the plants and shattered them, causing Undergrowth to flinch and begin to shrink in size! It was working! "Watch out," Phantom shouted. "The weather man predicted a cold snap!"

" _Phantom,"_ came J'onn's mental voice in Danny's head. _"The roots of almost any plant are susceptible to extreme temperature. Undergrowth's main weakness seems to be cold. Destroy his roots under ground with ice, and we may be able to stop him!"_ Danny grinned as he sent his thanks to the Martian.

"Hey, cabbage-face," he shouted to Undergrowth. "Haven't you heard that cold air is bad for the plants?" He turned intangible and flew below the surface, and began to freeze the roots to all the plants!

" _No!"_ Undergrowth cried in pain. "My roots!" He shrank even further, as the roots below froze to death. "No! You cannot do this to my children! _No_! This is _my_ domain! My offspring will inherit the Earth!"

Phantom burst through the ground and confronted the much smaller Undergrowth. "Dude, I don't know if you realize this," Danny said. "But you're a terrible father!"

The now much weaker Undergrowth offered little defense against the onslaught of Danny's attacks. Undergrowth fell back onto the frosty ground, and panted. Danny floated above him. "As the duly deputized protector of Amity Park, it's my sincere hope that you have enjoyed your butt-kicking experience!" Phantom created a large snowball mixed with ecto-energy, and hurled it at Undergrowth's chest, leaving a gaping hole!

Undergrowth tried to repair the wound, but ice took hold of his insides. "No," the ghost spat. "No! _NOOOO!"_ Plant Sam gasped as Undergrowth exploded! As the ice surrounding the city melted, the plants died off and withered away. At the same time, the vines attached to people's heads fell off, and everyone looked around, confused at all the dead plants.

Superman slowly sat up, and rubbed the back of his head. "Ugh, my head," he muttered. "Wha- What happened?"

Power Girl hugged her cousin as she and Flash helped him to his feet. "I'll tell you later," she said. Nearby, J'onn was helping Batman to his feet.

"Oh," Batman sighed. "I had the most terrible dream..."

"I assure you, it was no dream," J'onn said, matter-of-factly.

Sam stood up, her clothes returned to normal. "What happened?" she asked angrily. " _Yuck!_ My mouth tastes like I just had nine thousand shots of wheat grass; without the wheat!"

Tucker shook his head. "And I had a dream that I was trapped in a giant salad bar! Oof, garbonzo beans," he said. The two friends looked over to see Danny walking up to them, only he was glowing blue!

"Danny," Sam said. "What happened to you?"

"Let's just say I have a whole new respect for nature," Danny said. He held up his hand and formed a small, beautiful ice crystal and handed it to Sam.

"What's this for?" she asked, uncertain.

"I'm... glad you're okay," Danny said. And indeed, he was! He had no idea what he would do if he ever lost her. Or Tucker, for that matter. Speaking of, Tucker rode up on a riding lawnmower, with a hastily made up sign that read, 'Lawns Mowed, $5,000'.

"Tuck, what are you doing?" Danny asked. "Five thousand dollars to cut someone's lawn?"

"All I need is one lawn, and we'll be rolling in green stuff," he said triumphantly.

"Why do I get the feeling I've just done that," Sam frowned. The three friends laughed, and Danny remembered the other JLA members. He quickly flew over to where the others had congregated on a nearby rooftop.

"Power Girl, Flash, J'onn, I'm so sorry," Superman said. "I don't remember going after you guys at all."

"That's what happens when a ghost over-shadow's you," Danny explained. "The victim's mind is shut away, and the ghost has full control over your body. Like a puppet, sort of."

Batman frowned, and turned to Manhunter. "Have you updated Wonder Woman and the others?" he asked. J'onn's eyes glowed orange for a moment.

"It's done," the Martian confirmed. "Wonder Woman and her Amazon's are standing down, and Green Lantern has alerted the other Corp members that the crisis has been averted."

"Good," Batman said. "Everyone, go home and rest. I'd say you've earned it. Phantom, I assume you can handle it from here in Amity Park?"

Danny gave a mock salute in confirmation.

Flash turned to Batman. "What about you? More work to do in Gotham?" he asked.

"Something like that," the Dark Knight confirmed. He looked up to the sky, noticing the sun was rising. "It's getting late."

Phantom and Superman shared a confused look. "Um, dude, you do realize it's the early morning, right?" Phantom asked.

The sun gleamed off of Batman's bluish-black cape. "It's late, to me," he said. He called in the Batwing, and was soon heading back to Gotham.

"Sometimes, I just don't understand him," Superman sighed.

"I don't think anyone does," Power Girl shrugged.

* * *

Later, Batman was stalking through the halls of Arkham Asylum. To say the guards were both shocked and frightened to see the Dark Knight wanting to see a patient in the middle of the day was a massive understatement.

As he strode through the hallways to the cell in mind, his thoughts remained focused on one thing. Ghosts. He needed a way to fight them. He did not want to be possessed by another one. He had read on numerous folk tales about natural remedies once used by people to ward off evil spirits, but what they really were had been lost over the ages or confused with other things.

He stood in front of the containment cell. The lighting inside was red, and steam covered the interior, signifying a higher temperature and humidity inside. The occupant was laying on her bunk relaxing, and merely turned her head toward her visitor. "What do you want, so early in the day?" Poison Ivy asked, boredom and disgust evident in her voice. "Haven't you harassed me enough, recently?"

"What do you know about ghosts?" Batman asked, cutting straight to the point.

Ivy laid back on her bunk once more and snorted in disbelief. "Excuse me? Ghosts? Since when are you superstitious?"

"I've read that there were numerous repellents found in nature that were once used," Batman said. "But I need your help, as much as that sickens me. If anyone knows about these natural repellents, it would be you. No one knows nature quite like you."

"And why would I _ever_ help you?" Ivy sneered from her bunk.

"Because I can put in a good word for you, and maybe get your sentence reduced," he growled.

Ivy snorted in amusement at the offer. "Ooh, how appealing," she said in mock excitement. "How much of a reduction? From three life sentences to only two? Don't make me laugh."

Batman continued to glare at her. Eventually, she sighed. "Fine, I'll help you, if only to make you leave. I did sense an unnatural rumble through nature, early yesterday. Even so removed from nature in here, it felt... other-worldly. Do you think that ghosts were behind it? You know that sounds crazy, right? Maybe you should be in here, instead."

When the Dark Knight said nothing in reply, she rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said. "Blood Blossoms. There were other so-called remedies, but every one of those stories were about the same thing: Blood Blossoms. That's what people in olden times used. Much like cloves of garlic used to ward off vampires in Europe, Blood Blossoms were used to keep away spirits of the dead. I also understand that it was edible, and safe for people to eat. Barbarians.

"Unfortunately for you," she continued. "It's is a genus of plant that is virtually extinct in modern times. People used it so much that it's nearly impossible to find. Too bad, no way for you to keep away the spooks in the night."

"You said _nearly_ impossible to find," Batman said. "Does it still grow anywhere?"

"It can sometimes be found growing in the northeastern states," Ivy said. "Sometimes near places like Salem, Massachusetts."

Without another word, Batman turned around and headed to the door. In the swirl of his long cape, neither of them noticed the small bit of plant material fall off of him. "A simple thank you would have been nice," Ivy called, irritated.

A brief while later, a guard wearing a gas mask and carrying a plate opened the slit on her door. "Lunch time, Ivy," he grunted. As he slid the plate through the slot, the piece of vegetation that had fallen off Batman slid through with the plate. After the guard left, Ivy sighed and looked at the plate. On it was a bland sandwich and an apple.

"Barbarians," she muttered. She rarely needed to eat anymore. Sure, she enjoyed the taste of decent, good food, and she needed to drink water, yes, but food was rarely something she _needed_ anymore.

" _Finally, alone at last,"_ came a small voice she had never heard before. She quickly sat up and looked around, a frown creasing her red eyebrows. That almost sounded like one of her babies, but she wasn't allowed to have any plants in her cell. Not to mention that her plants never spoke in human languages.

" _Down here, under the plate."_ She cautiously lifted the plate to see a very tiny shred of a... plant?! One with a face? _"So, you must be the woman who can control plants that the flesh-dweller mentioned,"_ it spoke to her in a tiny voice.

"What... are you?" she asked, kneeling down to get a better look at the small entity. It was tiny, green, and had a vaguely humanoid shape to it.

 _"I am Undergrowth!"_ it replied. _"And I intend to rid this world of the infestation of meat sacks that try to harm my children!"_

"And what are your 'children'?" Ivy asked, slightly intrigued.

" _The vegetation and plant life of this world, of course!"_ Undergrowth replied. _"I recently tried to make this world a true jungle, when I was thwarted by a group of irritating vermin in capes! That was when I heard about you, my dear. I may have lost my garden's caretaker; my daughter, of sorts; but I survived! I am regenerating, but I need someone with your... mother's touch to heal and regain my full strength. And with you at my side, my vision of a world with only plant life will finally take root!"_

Poison Ivy smiled at this explanation, a new sense of purpose; of hope for her future world; blooming in her breast. She gently picked up her new friend, looking at him as if he were the most beautiful being on the planet. "Now that's a vision of change I can get behind. Please, tell me more," she said softly, a genuine smile crossing her red lips. As she walked back over to her bunk, she placed him on her shoulder, hidden underneath her long red hair and the collar of her Arkham shirt.

" _I'd be honored, my dear,"_ Undergrowth said. _"After all, it's not often I get to commune so freely with Mother Nature, herself!"_


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. This story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind. The author of this story owns nothing.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Ghost Story**

Green Lantern was laughing hard. "Y- you're kidding, right?" he said, catching his breath, and wiping a tear from his eye. "Phantom is worshiped by a tribe of yeti ghosts? In a parallel plane of existence called the 'Ghost Zone'?"

The Flash nodded, a smirk also on his face. "Yeah," he said. "If I hadn't seen it for myself, I would never have believed it, either." Assembled at the their temporary headquarters, Flash and Lantern were in the room Batman had dubbed the Monitor Lab. Batman and Flash had set up a computer monitoring system that used satellites to serve as an early warning system for the League. Flash, J'onn, Lantern, and the Hawks were currently taking turns on monitor duty.

"Indeed," J'onn droned, his focus going between several of the screens. "They were most hospitable and their technology and culture was impressive. I would like to return at some point to learn more about them."

"Why not just ask Danny about them?" Lantern asked.

"There's a little thing called 'respecting someone's privacy'," Hawkgirl huffed from her seat at a nearby table, polishing her mace and knives. "Maybe the reason Danny never told us about being worshiped by others is because he's too humble to throw it in everyone's faces. Ever think of that, Jordan?"

"Hey, that brings up another topic," Lantern said, suddenly sounding bitter. "Why is it that _I'm_ the only one in the League who's identity is known to everyone else?" It was true; during the Brainiac invasion, Danny Phantom had rather unceremoniously revealed Lantern's secret identity to the others when Hal Jordan had made too much of an ass of himself.

Flash shrugged at his friend. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe it's because you weren't keeping it secret enough?"

Lantern scowled. "Oh, is that so, Mister 'Everyone-I-know-in-Central-City-knows-my-real-name'?" he shot back. Lantern huffed, and sat down at the table next to Hawkgirl. "You know," he announced. "I think everyone should reveal their true identities. As a trust exercise."

"You are not the only one whose identity is known to the rest of the League, Hal," Manhunter said. "Both myself and Wonder Woman also openly share our identities with the rest of you."

"That's because she's an Amazon and your a Martian," Lantern countered. "You guys don't have lives outside the team." When no one said anymore, Lantern sighed. Hawkman then walked into the room and sat down next to Lantern with a tired sigh. He then set his large spiked mace before them on the table with a large thud. Lantern looked with a wide-eyed stare back and forth at the weapon and it's owner, both of which were ominously splattered in blood. Hawkgirl looked unfazed at the sight of her husband's appearance. Flash and J'onn were both sitting at the consoles and not paying attention.

"Uh, Hawkman?" Lantern asked, uncertainly. "You okay?"

"Why?" Hawkman growled.

"You're covered in blood," Lantern said.

"It's not my blood," Hawkman replied simply, shrugging his shoulders.

Lantern's eyes widened, and slowly got up. "Uh, wow! Would you look at the time? I got a... thing," he said, nervously. He quickly left the room, leaving the Hawks to share a smirk.

"You really are mean," Hawkgirl jokingly scolded her husband who shrugged in response.

Hawkman chuckled, softly. "Yeah, well, you know," he said. "The look on his face was worth it."

Under her helmet, Hawkgirl raised an eyebrow. "I think Phantom is rubbing off on you."

Hawkman scowled at the thought. Shayera smirked, slightly. She hadn't seen her husband prank someone in years. He rarely ever did, but sometimes, that spark would come to the surface when he was bored. The last time he had was probably to their fellow Justice Society members, a long time ago... The pair seemed to share the same thought, and looked down sadly.

* * *

Later, after Flash and Green Lantern had left, Hawkman and Hawkgirl remained, and were standing in the old meeting room for the JSA. Hawkman was staring darkly at the painting of the Justice Society. "Your going to stare holes through that painting if you don't blink," his wife said, bringing him out of his musings. He huffed before lowering his gaze to the floor.

"Never thought we'd be back here, again," he growled softly.

"I know," Hawkgirl agreed. "I miss them, too. But letting that interfere with our thinking might hurt the new team."

" _'Team'"_ , Hawkman sneered. "They barely have their feet wet as a team. Half of them don't take it seriously, and the other half is so stubborn that they won't accept any view other than their own."

"Who does that remind you of, Katar?" Hawkgirl spat back, growing tired of her husband's mood.

"Both of you, please stop this bickering," came a sudden plea, startling them. J'onn stood in the doorway, a sad expression on his stoic face. "I understand you both miss your former team members. Your pain is quite evident."

"We don't need your opinion on this, Martian," Hawkman scowled.

"If you wish, I will go, but please hear me out," Manhunter said. "No one knows more about loss than I. And I also know how much pain that holding on to that loss can cause. Some say that to escape the inner turmoil of one's grief is to allow the open ear of another to listen. My ears are open, if you wish to use them."

The Hawks shared a sad glance. They carried this hurt for so long, as did the other surviving members of the JSA. Hawkman sighed, and turned back to the painting. "You want to know the events of the JSA's final hours? Fine," he growled. As he stared at the painting, those final moments came flooding back...

* * *

 _The moon shone brightly over head in Washington, DC. But it was anything but a pleasant night. The Spirit of Wrath, Eclipso, was once more waging war with his old nemesis, the Spectre. The two were polar opposites of one another, and were nearly equal in power. Only this time, Spectre was not alone in this battle!_

 _The Justice Society of America, the greatest team of heroes in the world, instantly came to Spectre's request for assistance. Mostly because it was... unnerving that the Spectre had actually asked for help. The Spirit of Vengeance was one of the most, if not the most, powerful entities in all the universe. He was only a member of the JSA because he chose to be, and only when it suited him. The sheer fact that he had asked his team for help spoke volumes._

 _Eclipso had gained a great amount of power from an unknown source. And now, he was attempting to undo the universe itself._

 _Jay Garrick, aka The Flash, sped around beneath the demon spirit, attempting to distract him. "Hey, Eclipso," he said. "Let's see if all that new-found power can help you against the Crimson Comet! Catch me if you can!" The block around where Eclipso floated was empty; everyone was either already dead or had ran away. But as the fight raged on, the damage began to extend further out._

 _Eclipso cackled, and raised his hand, which glowed purple. The road melted into lava!_

" _Yikes, hot!" Flash yelled._

" _Don't worry Flash, I've got you," called Alan Scott, the Green Lantern. He used his ring to form a bubble around Flash and pulled him to safety. The two flew to the safety of a nearby building._

 _Flash grimaced as he sat down, his legs and feet badly burned by the sudden lava. It looked bad. He winced in pain, and took off his silver kettle helmet and wiped his forehead. "Eclpiso is really not playing around like he usually does," he said._

 _Green Lantern looked over at the battle. His long, billowing cape had numerous holes in it from the fight. "This doesn't look good, Jay," he said nervously. Green Lantern was never nervous, but this different. "Fighting Solomon Grundy, or the Shade is one thing, but Eclpiso has taken it to another level." True, the JSA had tangled with Eclipso, before. But he had never truly rivaled Spectre. Glancing back at his friend, Green Lantern said, "Hang on, Flash. I'll get Dr Midnite."_

 _Dr Fate blasted Eclpiso with a powerful blast of magic. "You may be more powerful than ever before, demon," he said, his voice echoing through the helmet of Nabu. "But you are still bound to the rule God himself bound you to! You cannot kill anyone of equal power, for if you do, you shall cease to exist. Let us see if your new power matches Fate!"_

" _Fate, you are a fool!" Eclipso shouted, throwing Spectre aside. "You and Lords of Order are useless against me, now! I am beyond fate!"_

 _The two battled back and forth, but Eclipso was clearly the superior. Dr Fate was sent hurling back, and slammed into a wall._

" _Didn't see that coming, Fate?" Eclipso howled._

 _Several blocks away, the Hawks were surveying the area from above. The members of the JSA without special powers, or those who clearly had no chance against Eclpiso were busy keeping people safe from the damage. "Wildcat, Canary, there are still people in that diner!" Hawkman ordered. Wildcat gave a nod, and took off towards the diner with Black Canary in tow._

 _Hawkgirl swooped nearby her husband. "Dr Midnite just got word from Flash," she said. "Jay's hurt. Even with his healing, he's out of the fight, at least for now."_

" _Great," Hawkman muttered._

 _Meanwhile, Mr Terrific and the Star-Spangled Kid were on a roof behind Eclipso. Sandman was beside them. "You know this is crazy, right, Kid?" asked Mr Terrific, nervously._

" _We excel in crazy," Star-Spangled Kid replied, a wry grin on under his mask. "Besides, if we can distract Eclipso, even for a moment, Fate and Spectre might have a chance."_

" _Why do I always get roped in the two of your's little ideas?" Sandman asked, cocking his unique rifle. Sharing one last glance, Kid raised his staff, and Sandman raised his rifle and readied themselves._

" _Hey, Eclipso!" called Terrific. "Want some fresh targets?"_

 _Eclipso turned around to face the three, a look of contempt and disgust on his face. Sandman and Star-Spangled Kid fired their weapons, which had no effect on the villain. Eclipso raised his glowing hand to incinerate the three nuisances._

" _ **NO!"** roared Spectre. He grabbed Eclipso before his friends were killed. **"You will shed no more innocent blood, Eclipso! Even if it destroys me; even if God condems me to Hell, I will end you!"** _

_The two glowed vividly, and Dr Fate gasped in horror. The helmet of Nabu showed him what was coming next. He flew up to the Hawks. "We must get as far away as possible!" he shouted. "Now!" The Hawks had worked with Fate long enough to not question him._

" _What about the others?" Hawkgirl asked, as they flew._

 _Fate gave her a sidelong glance, his eyes filled with sorrow. "There is no time," he whispered, as they reached Wildcat and Black Canary at a safe distance.._

 _Spectre and Eclipso were consumed in a ball of pure, radiant energy that quickly expanded, consuming the surrounding blocks! Sandman, Mr Terrific, Star-Spangled Kid, Dr Midnite, Flash, and Green Lantern all raised their hands to shield themselves as the ball of energy consumed them._

 _Once the light faded away, Dr Fate, the Hawks, Black Canary and Wildcat returned to the epicenter. The place was in ruins. And their team-mates were no where to be found..._

" _Good God," Wildcat muttered. "Are they-?"_

" _Yes," Fate replied, sadly._

 _Canary buried her face in her hands as she began to cry. Wildcat put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "I- I can't believe it," Hawkgirl whispered._

 _A weak moan came from underneath the rubble nearby. They then noticed a tattered green cape! "Spectre," called Hawkman. Dr Fate used his powers to pull the rubble away. Underneath lay the weakened form of the Spectre, who moaned._

 _The remaining JSA members had never seen Spectre so weak, before. "Spectre, if your still here, does that mean the others are somewhere around here, too?" Wildcat asked, as the helped Spectre sit up._

 _Underneath his green hood, Spectre shook his head. "Forgive me," he growled, sadly._

* * *

"After that, the JSA was never the same," Hawkman said, his voice laced with frustration and sadness. "I tried to lead those of us that remained, as best I could. But it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough. We started quarreling with each other, and went our separate ways shortly there after." His wife put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

J'onn stared at the pair, sharing his sadness. He understood their pain. The JSA was their family, and they had lost them. Just as he had lost his own family. "There was nothing you could have done," he said. "And I know the pain you both hold over that loss. Believe me. I know. I also know that your people are warriors by nature, and such pain is a powerful tool for any warrior. But if you do not let that pain go, it will consume you."

Hawkgirl glared at the Martian. "Sometimes, that pain is the only thing that will keep you alive," she sneered.

"True," J'onn said. "But as you continue to face that pain, do not forget that you two are not alone. The other members of the League and myself are not just colleagues; we are also your friends. And that carries with it an even greater power. Hope."

"Well spoke, Martian," came a surprising voice. "Even if the sentiment is naive."

A green mist filled the room, and billowed into a humanoid shape. "Spectre!" Hawkgirl gasped. They hadn't seen the Spirit of Vengeance since the JSA disbanded. Once the team began to quarrel, Spectre became disgusted, and was the first to leave the team.

Hawkman frowned at the ghost. "Why are you here?" he growled. "What great injustice are you here to avenge?"

Spectre cast his gaze over Hawkman, his eyes glowing a deadly acid yellow from underneath his hooded cloak. The Hawks were startled to see Spectre's haze soften. The only reason they noticed it was because of their time with him. His eyes looked almost... sad. "One of my own doing," Spectre answered slowly; his voice like gravel, echoing. "My greatest sin. I'm here to avenge the Justice Society of America."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Absolute Justice, Part: 1**

"What do you mean you're here to avenge the JSA?" Hawkgirl asked.

The Spectre floated ominously before the Hawks and Martian Manhunter. His pale face was shadowed by his tattered green hood, but his glowing eyes had a saddened look to them. It was unsettling to see such a powerful being look uncertain. "It was my greatest sin," he said, his voice echoed. "I was so focused on defeating Eclipso, that I caused their destruction."

His eyes then filled with anger. "But recently, I have made a discovery," he continued. "Even I am not strong enough to rectify this mistake alone. No, to avenge our old team, I need help." He lifted his arm and pointed at them. " _Your_ help. And your new team."

"What discovery have you made?" J'onn asked.

The Spectre cast his gaze upon the Martian. "The members of the Justice Society, once thought lost, are not dead," he said. "I have recently discovered that they still exist."

The revelation all but floored Hawkman and Hawkgirl. They couldn't even speak for several moments. "They- they're still... alive?" Hawkgirl asked, quietly.

"From a certain point of view," came the answer from another dark corner of the room. Everyone turned to see a man in a dark blue trench coat and matching fedora walk out of seemingly nowhere. "Your allies are... trapped, for lack of a better word, in a loop between the fabrics of reality."

"And just who are you?" J'onn asked.

"I am the wanderer of the unbeaten path of time and space," the man said, his voice calm and echoed. "From the apex of creation, to the abyss of damnation, have I traveled. Many call me the Phantom Stranger. I cannot directly interfere, but I can light the way for those who need it."

"You're here to help?" Hawkman assumed.

"As I said, I am not here to interfere," the Stranger answered. "But I can be... proactive in my guidance. I am a hand in the dark. When the danger passes, so will I. But, until then, I will council those of you who face the challenge ahead."

"'Those of us'?" Hawkman asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Not all of you will be capable of taking part with what comes next," the Stranger replied. "Only those among you with a... shall we say, supernatural affinity can embark on the road that lay ahead."

"And who among us would that be?" J'onn wondered.

"They are being gathered," Spectre said, cryptically.

* * *

Danny Fenton was sound asleep in his bed at home in Amity Park. Snoring, he was fully at ease, for once. He was so deep in his dreamland, he hadn't even noticed the bright glowing light briefly fill his room. A large, golden Egyptian Ankh appeared, and a figure wearing a golden helmet that covered his entire head and face stepped through.

The figure gazed at the young boy, sleeping so calmly. He tilted his head, slightly. Dr Fate was unaccustomed to not being noticed, unless he wished it. The figure emitted a faint chuckle. He almost bad for disturbing one so young, but the fates were rarely patient for sentiment. Fate cleared his throat, somewhat loudly, causing Danny to stir. Sitting up in his bed, he cast his groggy gaze around his room. "Huh?" he uttered, sleepily. Then Danny noticed the faintly glowing eyes staring intently at him. "Whoa!" he exclaimed.

"Greetings," Dr Fate said.

Danny flew out of bed, transforming into Danny Phantom in mid air, and flew at the intruder.

The figure once more tilted his helmeted head in amusement, and lifted his glowing hand, grabbing Danny's arm. Fate gasped as the helmet of Nabu showed him the boy's fate. He released Phantom's arm, and Danny fell flat on his face. "What the-?" he stuttered. He looked up at the figure. "Who- who the heck are you?"

"Your fate is utterly blinding," the figure said, surprised. "You are invaluable, Danny Phantom. Be at ease; I am no enemy of yours. I am in need of your assistance."

"Oh, really?" Danny asked, feeling a little ticked off. "You sure have a creepy way of asking for it. Seriously! Nice helmet, by the way."

"Thank you," Dr Fate answered, politely.

"Wait a sec," Danny said, as the last of his grogginess left his mind. " I know you. You're in that painting at the old JSA HQ."

"Indeed," the figure answered. " I am an old ally of your friends, Hawkman and Hawkgirl. I am Dr Fate. And the Justice Society needs your help, Danny Phantom."

"Help with what?" Danny asked.

"Let me show you, my friend," Dr Fate said. With that, he raised his hand, and Danny's vision was filled with a golden glow.

* * *

Diana sat peacefully on the shore line, the light of the full moon glimmering brightly across the sea. She had discovered this pleasant little cove a short while ago. It offered her a serene sanctuary to reflect and escape on nights she found sleeping difficult; from the world of man that so often was wrought chaos. But in that chaos, she found hope for mankind. And that was all she needed.

A bright light suddenly appeared behind her, causing her to turn her head in surprise. When the light faded, she saw a man wearing a billowing yellow cape and a golden helmet standing there. Next to the man, sitting on the ground, was Danny Phantom, looking around, confused.

"Danny?" Wonder Woman asked. "How did you find me? And who is this?"

"Uh, hey, Wonder Woman," Phantom said, slowly standing up and rubbing the back of his neck. "This is Dr Fate, and he's an old member of the JSA. Not sure why we're here, though."

"Allow me to explain," Dr Fate said. "The Spectre and I need your help; both of you. It is urgent. The others have gathered at the JSA Brownstone; your team's current head quarters. When we arrive, everything will be answered. Please, we need your help."

"Oh, sure," Danny muttered to himself and folded his arms. "You ask her and say please, but you basically kidnap me..."

* * *

When Dr Fate teleported the three of them to their destination, they found that the other members of the Justice League had arrived, after J'onn summoned them. Superman, Batman, Power Girl and Green Lantern were gathered and were speaking with Hawkman and Hawkgirl.

Danny then got a chill up his spine that didn't feel like his normal ghost sense. He looked over to see the Spectre hovering ominously nearby. "Hey, it's you," he said. "You're the guy that wanted to roast Vlad Plasmius!"

It was true; before the JLA had formed, Danny Phantom had encountered a being in a green cloak that radiated power. Spectre wanted to destroy Vlad for his crimes, but Danny convinced him not to. When Danny learned more about the JSA, he discovered that the being he had encountered was indeed the Spectre. The Spirit of Vengeance glared at him, and simply nodded.

A red blur trailing lightning entered the room. The Flash had arrived, fashionably late. Lantern looked pointedly at the speedster. "How is it you're the fastest man alive, and you still manage to be late?" he asked.

Flash shrugged, smirking. "Yeah, I guess the super-tardiness counteracts the super-speed," he offered.

"So," Superman said, drawing everyone's attention. "Spectre, Dr Fate, how do you plan to retrieve your colleagues? And how do Phantom and Wonder Woman fit into this?"

It was Phantom Stranger who answered. "In answer to both your questions," he said. "A brief tear must be created between our world and the dimensional loop where the trapped members of the JSA are. Wonder Woman and Danny Phantom, because of their supernatural origins, are the only ones among you who could survive this mission."

"But why do you even need us?" Danny asked. "He's the Spirit of Vengeance, that's Dr Fate, and you're... something, I assume? You guys are quite the heavy hitters to start with."

"We have no idea what awaits us on the other side," Fate said. "We might need the extra power on our side. She is the daughter of Zeus and Hippolyta, and you willingly walk the line of life and death, Danny Phantom. Perhaps, together, we can survive this, and rescue our friends."

"How could they still be alive after so long?" wondered Hawkgirl. "It was a long time ago. Even if they are still alive, they'll be much older."

"I do not believe so," Phantom Stranger replied. "Where the Justice Society members are trapped, it will be as if no time has past, or so I suspect. They will not have aged. In fact, to them, it may be as if they just arrived. Time will likely have no meaning in such a reality."

Danny snapped his fingers. "Kinda like the Nexus in that one Star Trek movie with Kirk and Picard," he said. When he noticed everyone in the room looking at him oddly, he shrugged. "What? A ghost can't like Sci-Fi?"

Flash grinned; he really needed to introduce Phantom to Cisco back home in Central City.

Phantom Stranger smirked. "Yes, something like that," he said.

Batman frowned deeply. The Dark Knight didn't like the sound of _tearing_ the fabric of reality, no matter how powerful the ones doing it were. "Where do you plan on opening this 'tear' at?" he asked.

The Spectre and Dr Fate had no answer for that, but the Stranger did. "Fear not, detective," he said. "We are going to a place that, hopefully, can handle such an act. The Rock of Eternity."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing, this story is for fun; not money or profit of any kind.**

* * *

 **Ch** **apter 13: Absolute Justice Part 2**

The decision was made for Danny Phantom and Wonder Woman to accompany Dr Fate, Spectre and the Phantom Stranger to the Rock of Eternity so they could open a breach from their reality into the so-called 'dimensional loop' where the members of the Justice Society were trapped. Danny was... uneasy, to say the least, as was Diana. But, they couldn't leave the JSA trapped for all eternity.

Phantom Stranger raised his arms, and dark energy flowed over the small group. In an instant, they were no longer in the old JSA Brownstone HQ. They now stood on what seemed like a massive mountain top with a large temple carved into it. The entire area they stood on, at the very top of the structure, was flat, circular, and polished to a mirror sheen. They looked over the edge, and saw nothing but sky, and clouds as far as the eye could see. Gazing down, they saw _nothing_ ; only mist and clouds, no land, no buildings, no tree tops; _nothing_.

"Great Athena" Diana said in awe. "As grand as Olympus, itself."

"Whoa," Danny said, mirroring her amazement.

"Welcome to the Rock of Eternity," Dr Fate said. "An old friend resides here; one more powerful than anyone of us, save Spectre. Only with his power, combined with our own, can we accomplish our goal."

Danny scratched his head. Whoever this person was, he or she must be powerful, indeed, if Dr Fate was telling the truth. He wondered if Clockwork knew them.

"Where is this individual?" Wonder Woman asked.

In answer, Phantom Stranger pointed behind the two Justice League members. They turned around, and they saw an old man sitting on a large stone throne in the center of the circular space they stood on. Danny yelped and jumped slightly; there was nothing there a moment ago!. "Hey, what the heck?" Danny exclaimed.

The old man- more like _ancient_ \- looked somewhat frail, dressed in a simple pale blue robe. He was thin, and his white hair was long, and his beard nearly hung to the floor. His face was thin and wrinkled, but his eyes... they were the eyes of wisdom. The old man smiled, kindly at the group. Despite his elderly appearance and kind expression, the being seemed to radiate pure, raw _**power;**_ Danny could feel it from a distance.

"Hello, there," the old man said. "Welcome to my home, the Rock of Eternity."

"Um, hi," Danny said, uncertainly. He couldn't explain it, but part of him felt awed by the old man's presence. "Uh, no offense, sir, but, um, who are you?"

"Of course, how silly of me, and how rude of my friends to not introduce us," the old man said, winking humorously at Dr Fate, Spectre and Phantom Stranger. He rose from the throne with no effort, and surprising grace. "Allow me to introduce myself to you. I am the Wizard, _**SHAZAM!**_ " Upon saying that one word, an incredible roar of thunder and lightning sounded, as though every clap of thunder from every storm that ever occurred on Earth sounded at once, causing Danny and Diana to cover their ears and wince.

"Hera!" Wonder Woman exclaimed.

"Whoa!" Danny shouted. "I'm surprised I even have ear drums left! I wish that would happen every time _I_ introduced myself!"

The Wizard chuckled. "Forgive me," he said. "But I couldn't resist; it's been some time since I've had company. But there's no need to introduce yourselves. I know who the two of you are, Danny Phantom and Diana of the Amazons."

"You know of us?" Wonder Woman asked, surprised. "You must be all powerful, indeed!"

The Wizard chuckled once more. "Not quite," he said. "But I'll let you two in on a secret." He leaned in close to the pair, as if preparing to tell them the secrets of the universe itself, and whispered, "I know who you are because the Phantom Stranger told me your names before you arrived!" Danny had to laugh at that, actually, and even Diana smiled. The old wizard definitely had a sense of humor.

"Enough games!" Spectre sneered, crossing his arms beneath his billowing green cloak. "We have work to do, Wizard."

The Wizard sighed, and said, "Ah, Spectre. Always to the point. Of course, to help your friends, I can lend you my help. On one condition."

"Condition?" Dr Fate repeated, surprised. "And what would that be?"

"Once we open the tear, I want a friend of my own to accompany you," Wizard said, in a tone that held no room for argument.

"There are more than enough of us for this mission," Spectre growled, gesturing to the gathered heroes. "And now, you want us to babysit your childish apprentice?"

"When the breach into that loop is created, not all of you can go in, because I cannot hold the portal open on my own," the Wizard clarified. "Myself, Dr Fate, and the Phantom Stranger will have to work together on this side to hold the portal opens. And Spectre, you will accompany the ghost and the Amazon along with my friend. End of story."

"Sounds reasonable," Phantom Stranger said. Fate nodded as well, and Spectre merely scowled. "When will your student be arriving?"

In answer, a bolt of lightning struck nearby, and once the dust settled, a figure stood. He was powerfully built, dressed in a red and golden outfit made from an unknown material. On his chest, a white and golden lightning bolt was emblazoned. Over his shoulders was a white cape with a hood over his head. The figure strode over in a confident manner, and lowered his hood to reveal a strong jaw, a cocky, excited grin, and dark brown eyes. For a moment, Danny thought it was a clone of Superman! What the man said, however, is what caught Wonder Woman and Danny Phantom off guard.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked. "How awesome is this place, huh?"

Danny and Wonder Woman exchanged a glance. "Uh, hi" Danny said, uncertainly.

"Who are you?" Wonder Woman asked.

The man grinned, and put his fists on his hips in a heroic manner. "Name's Shazam!" he replied, cheerfully. He suddenly frowned, and then his eyes bulged wide, and he gasped. "Whoa! You're Danny Phantom! And Wonder Woman! _No way_!"

He then ran up to the two, and exclaimed, "I'm such a big fan of you guys! I watched you guys on the news during the alien invasion! So awesome! I would have came to help, but I was busy doing chores with my sister, and well, it _was_ almost bed time, so my uncle..." As Shazam continued to make more of a spectacle, Dr Fate crossed his arms in amusement, Phantom Stranger merely looked on impassively, and Spectre scowled at the display.

"Whoa, take it easy, dude," Danny said. "Slow down, we don't need a life story, here- Wait. Did you said your name is 'Shazam'? I thought _he_ was Shazam?" Danny jutted a thumb at the Wizard.

Shazam shrugged, and grinned awkwardly. "Uh, yeah, it's complicated," he stammered, unsure of how to explain the subject. "Ya see, I used to go by Captain Marvel, but then I learned how to control my powers, because whenever I used to say 'Shazam', I, uh, well-"

The Wizard cleared his throat. "We have work to do, my friend," he said, snapping his student back to reality. "We've already wasted enough time. I've already informed my pupil of what needs to be done before you all arrived; let us begin."

Shortly, the Wizard, Dr Fate and Phantom Stranger had formed a triangle surrounding The Spectre, Danny Phantom, Wonder Woman, and Shazam. "Once the tear in reality has been opened, you will enter," Phantom Stranger explained. "Even with all our combined power, there is no way to know what will await you, or even if any of you will retain your powers. All I know is that the lost members of the JSA are there."

"How exactly did you come upon this information?" Wonder Woman asked.

"It is difficult to put into terms you could understand, for my ways are beyond those of the physical realm," Phantom Stranger replied. "All I can say is that I detected their life forces during an... excursion into one of magical realms with the Spectre. We were able to pinpoint their location, vaguely, in a place outside of this reality. As I said, difficult to put into words."

"Just be prepared for anything," Dr Fate added. With that, Fate, the Wizard and Phantom Stranger raised their arms, power and energy flowed out of their hands. Danny felt a bizarre feeling surrounding him, as if the very molecules were warping and changing around him. A vivid light covered the group, and the piercing sound of energy collapsing and then suddenly rearranging exploded around them. And then... nothingness...

* * *

Darkness... Blackness... Nothingness... Emptiness...

Those were all Danny Phantom experienced a he tried to look around.

"Danny?" he heard Wonder Woman ask, concerned.

"Wonder Woman?" Danny asked. "Where are you? I can't see you!"

A pause, followed by an uncertain answer, "Right here beside you."

Danny Phantom then heard Shazam snicker, and Spectre growl in irritation.

"Open your eyes, _boy_ ," Spectre sighed.

Danny then realized his eyes were clamped shut. He opened them to see the others standing in front of him. "Oh, right, duh," he muttered, embarrassed. He then looked around to see they were standing on... nothing! It looked like they were standing on space itself, blackness surrounded them, with points of light like stars everywhere, and yet, Danny could see the others as though they were in broad daylight. "Wow," he said in awe. "This is awesome!"

"You are not wrong," Shazam agreed.

Behind them, the portal back into reality hung in mid-air. "Well, at least we can still see the way back," Diana commented. Suddenly, Spectre moaned, and nearly fell over, only to be caught by Shazam!

"What's happening?" Danny asked, startled.

"M-my... my form," Spectre replied, weakly. "My human link cannot survive here for long... And, thus, you all are in grave, _**mortal**_ danger... "

"Human link?" Wonder Woman wondered. "What do you mean?"

"I am the Spectre; the instrument of Divine Vengeance," he said, his voice no more than a hoarse whisper. "For evil must be punished. And yet, without mercy, there is no redemption... And without humanity, no justice..." Spectre then coughed, roughly, grasping Shazam's shoulder to steady himself. To see such a powerful entity weakened was disturbing.

"Thus, I must have a human link," he slowly continued, his form slowly beginning to shrivel and wither away! "Without this moral compass, I am lost; in shadow. _Eclipsed._ Without... a human vessel; a... human _soul_ to guide my actions, I would unleash a brutal vengeance upon all of creation. Humans have... a... special gift for seeing _goodness_ in other beings, thus opening the door for redemption..."

"So, if your human link is being hurt here," Diana said. "Why aren't Shazam or Danny Phantom being affected? Or, me, for that matter?"

"Energy is _different_ here," Spectre wheezed. "My human link is bound to _me..._ And I, to him... I am the _embodiment_ of God's wrath... But, we are two _separate_ beings sharing the same space... unlike you three, whose powers are tied to _you_ as individuals, my link and I are not truly one... Not the same being... And there in lie the problem...

"Like a ghost, overshadowing a person," Danny Phantom realized.

"Exactly," Spectre confirmed. "Alone, I only see the _worst_ in beings... I only see sins and evil that _must_ be punished... My enemies _fear_ my power, and know this is my only weakness. But in it, there is also strength... For vengeance is _eternal_ , and it _must_ be served... If my human link perishes, I would likely obliterate you all for the slightest, most unknowing sins in your lives..."

"So, what do we do?" Shazam asked. "Send you back, and let Dr Fate of the Phantom Stranger take your place"

"No, only send back Jim Corrigan, my human link," Spectre said. "I can continue on, here. But one of you must be my vessel until our mission is complete..." The Spirit of Vengeance raised a skeletal finger and leveled it at Danny. "And _**YOU**_ , Danny Phantom, are the only one who can handle my _power,_ in this realm!"

* * *

 **A/N: Ok, a couple things: Shazam was originally going to be called Captain Marvel in this, but I decided to just call him Shazam. I have my reasons, but suffice to say, like everything in this story, I'm putting my own twist on these characters.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing. This story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Absolute Justice, Part 3**

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Danny said, taken aback by the statement made by the Spectre. "You want _me_ to be your human link? But, I'm a ghost!"

"Yes," the Spectre rasped in reply. "Your spirit, your very _soul_ is human... And the fact that you're a ghost means you can withstand my powers better than a mere mortal ever could."

"I- I don't know," Danny said, unsure. Wonder Woman and Shazam stood nearby, saying nothing. They would leave the decision to Danny Phantom. "I don't like the idea of being overshadowed. I-"

"Please," Spectre begged. He lurched forward out of Shazam's grasp and grabbed Phantom's collar, clutching it to hold himself up. "Don't you understand, boy? I hold the powers of the _universe itself,_ and I am _dying!_ If you do not, then all is lost!"

"Alright, alright, I'll do it!" Danny said, frightened by the Spectre's words. He couldn't just stand by and let someone perish. Without another word the Spectre transformed into a green mist, pushing out a man with short reddish hair, wearing a suit with a beige overcoat. The man looked startled, and he was forcefully thrown out of the portal by the green mist. The mist then surrounded Danny Phantom...

As the mist began to clear, Shazam and Wonder Woman looked on with worry. The familiar cloak of the Spectre loomed before them, albeit slightly smaller than before. "Danny? Are you alright?" Diana asked.

"Danny Phantom is unharmed," came the slow reply after several moments. The voice that spoke, however, was very different than before. It echoed and reverberated with an eerie combination of the Spectre's deep rasp and Danny's voice. The shape of the Spectre slowly turned to face them, and Diana was startled by what she saw.

The tattered green cloak of the Spectre hung over Danny Phantom's shoulders, and he still wore the same jumpsuit, but the emblem was gone, and the suit was worn and tattered like the cloak and hung somewhat loosely on his frame. Danny looked significantly more skeletal than before. The hood covered his head, although some of Danny's stark white hair could be seen underneath. His skin had gone from a healthy color to a chalk white, and his face, while still recognizable, looked hollowed out, and his glowing green eyes now had an acidic yellow tinge to them.

"Whoa," Shazam said. "That's awesome!"

"And we have your word you'll release him when we get back?" Wonder Woman demanded, a glare in her eyes.

The Spectre nodded after a moment, glaring in return. "Come, there is much work to be done," Spectre said.

"And, uh, where are we going?" Shazam asked. "I mean, Wisdom of Solomon aside, this place looks like an empty abyss."

In answer, Spectre's eyes glowed brightly. His powers had evened themselves out, now that he had a stable host. "I can sense them," he said. He raised his arms, and the trio instantly appeared in a totally different place. Sort of.

This tear in reality was... odd. In one instance, it looked like space. The next, pure light. Then, pure dark. Different scenery, such as forests and deserts constantly changed and flowed around them, disappearing and reappearing at a rapid rate, as though they were moving at high speeds.

"This place is disorienting," Wonder Woman commented, placing a hand on her forehead. She was beginning to feel dizzy at the speed everything around them changed.

"We are close," Spectre mused.

A red and blue blur of wind and lightning blew past them, nearly knocking the heroes all down, except for Spectre. "Holy moley," Shazam said. "Didn't expect that."

The blur went by, again, and again, with seemingly no sense direction. "Flash," Spectre surmised.

"Why isn't he stopping?" Wonder Woman asked, as the blur sped past once more.

"He can't," Spectre said. "The Speedforce cannot be controlled in this place, so he is perpetually locked in a state of constant motion. Fascinating."

"I'm betting he doesn't think it's fascinating," Shazam said, frowning. "Hmm, I wonder..." Using the Speed of Mercury, he tried to run along side the speeding Flash. While not nearly as fast as a true speedster, he was still incredibly fast. As he ran alongside Flash, he tried to reach out and grab the speedster, but failed. He tried several more times, but simply wasn't fast enough. "Well, I'm open to suggestions," he panted, trying to catch his breath.

Wonder Woman pulled out her lasso of truth, and with her finally honed eyes, she tracked the blur as best as she could. She timed it perfectly, and used all her strength to hurl her lasso into Flash's path, managing to rope the speedster. Unfortunately, it did nothing to slow him down, and Wonder Woman was using every ounce of her strength to hold on, her feet digging into the ground. At least, they would be, if there actually were any ground.

She snarled, as she tried to reign in the Crimson Comet. Shazam joined her in grabbing the lasso, pulling with everything he had. Slowly, but surely, the Flash began to slow down. The Spectre seized the opportunity, and raised his glowing hands. The Flash began to glow green. Eventually, the Flash came to an abrupt halt, and fell down, rolling to a stop. Wonder Woman undid her lasso from around the man as the two ran over to help.

"Gugh," Flash grunted, as he panted harshly, forcing himself into a sitting position. He removed his signature winged kettle helmet, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The man looked to be in his mid fifties, with curly brown hair that was beginning to gray. He wore blue trousers, and a long sleeved bright red shirt with a large yellow lightning bolt running up it's front. He looked up with bleary eyes at his saviors. "Thank you," he huffed. "Thought I was going to be running forever. Whoo, that was intense."

"No problem," Shazam grinned. He offered a hand to help the older hero to his feet.

"Thanks," Flash repeated, gratefully taking the offered hand. "I don't believe we've met, son. I'm Jay Garrick. But people call me-"

"The Flash," Wonder Woman finished, smiling. "We know all about you, Mr Garrick."

"Is that so?" Jay said, slightly confused. In all his years in the hero business, he'd never seen these two. "Well, it seems you have me at a disadvantage, miss. I'm fairly certain we've never met, before. I certainly would have remembered meeting a lady as lovely as you." He placed his helmet back on his head, and tipped the brim in a gentlemanly way. "Then again, I am getting older."

Diana smiled once more. This Flash was certainly kind. A trait that, sadly, not many possessed these days. "I'm Wonder Woman, of Paradise Island," she introduced herself. She gestured to Shazam. "This is Shazam. We're honored to meet you, but I must ask; do you know how long you've been here?" The knowledge of how long he had been in this place might be startling.

Jay rubbed his chin in thought. "Uh, well, let's see," he said. "We were fighting Eclipso... I remember Green Lantern pulled me out of some lava in the knick of time... Spectre yelling something, a blinding light, and then I was here, but I couldn't stop moving. Couldn't control my speed like I usually could, so I just kept running. That couldn't have been more than a few minutes ago."

Diana and Shazam exchanged a sad glance. "I'm afraid it's been a little bit longer than a few minutes," Shazam said slowly.

"Really?" Jay asked. "How long?"

"Decades," came the voice of the Spectre.

Jay turned to see the Spectre, but didn't recognize him right away. "Spectre? Is that you?" he asked. "You look... different."

"It's complicated," Spectre said.

"Talk about an understatement- OW!" Shazam muttered, as Wonder Woman jabbed him in the side with her elbow.

"Huh," Jay said, taking in Spectre's new visage. His eyes then widened as Spectre's words sunk in. "Wait a second, _decades_? Did you just say _decades_?!"

"Yes," Spectre confirmed, his/Danny's eyes showing sadness. "It is the year 2016. You and the others have been trapped in this bubble of anti-reality since that night. I... I'm sorry. But we must hurry. The others are still trapped. And the longer we all remain here, the greater the possibility will be that we will each become affected by the energy here. We will all fall into a state like the members of the JSA; forever living out a single moment for eternity."

Jay looked stunned at the information. Diana put a hand on his shoulder. "Do you need a moment, Flash?" she asked, concerned.

Flash took a steadying breath and shook his head. "No," he said quietly. "There's time for that later. I'll be fine."

Spectre raised his arms, and they once more were teleported to the next member that Spectre could sense...

* * *

They reappeared in a dark, misty swamp-like setting. They were totally surrounded by vegetation, even overhead. The vibe of the place made Shazam shiver. "This place gives me the creeps," he commented. "Something bad always happens in swamps! Have you ever seen basically any scary movie?"

Flash glanced at Shazam. "Don't believe everything you see in the movies, kid," he said. Jay then looked around cautiously. "Then again, this place does remind me of Grundy's old swamp..."

"Flash, is that you?" came a call from not too far away.

"Lantern?" Flash said, recognizing the voice. "Over here!"

They heard rustling nearby, and a blonde man wearing a billowing purple cape with a high collar stepped out of the foliage. A green glow appeared on his left hand, and the man was illuminated with a green glow, revealing none other than the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott! The man looked to be about the same age as Jay Garrick. "Flash! It is you," he exclaimed. He quickly made his way to the group. "I never thought I'd see you again. Come to think of it, I never thought I'd see anyone, again!"

The Flash and Green Lantern clasped hands. "I've been stuck wandering around this swamp for hours," Alan said. "It's like a maze. How did you find me? And who are these people?" He gestured towards Wonder Woman and Shazam, as well as Spectre in Danny Phantom's form.

"Uh," Jay said, uncertainly rubbing his forehead beneath his helmet. "This is Wonder Woman and Shazam. They helped me out a little bit ago. And, of course, you remember Spectre."

Green Lantern gazed over at the others, before leveling his gaze at Spectre/Phantom. "Spectre," he said. "Something seems off about you."

The Spirit of Vengeance said nothing, no longer wishing to speak about his new form. "It is good to see you, again, old friend," he growled in his echoing voice. "It's been too long."

"Too long?" Lantern repeated. "I don't understand. I've only been here a few hours. I haven't been able to escape from this swamp because my ring is useless against vegetation; I couldn't do anything except hoof it on foot."

Shazam had to keep himself from laughing. "Wow," he said. "That's some weakness. I could take you down with a pencil!" He then fell silent when he saw everyone glaring at him harshly. "Sorry," he said, sheepishly looking at the ground. "That was rude."

"Anyway, Alan," Jay said. "It's a bit difficult to explain. You might have a hard time believing it, so we'll wait until we get home. In short, after our fight with Eclipso, we were all trapped inside a pocket of time and space. It took Spectre and his new allies to get us out, and now we need to find the others."

Before Green Lantern could respond, Spectre raised his hands once more, and the universe shifted around them...

* * *

Soon, they had recovered the other members of the JSA, though, not without some difficulty. Spectre had surmised that each of the JSA were trapped within their own respective weaknesses and/or fears; Flash was trapped in his own speed without control, Green Lantern was trapped in a swamp where his ring had no effect. Dr Midnite had been trapped in a realm of eternal light; as he could not see in anything short of absolute darkness.

Sandman was trapped within one of his prophetic visions, and the Star-Spangled Kid was locked in a battle trying to control his cosmic staff. Hour Man was trapped in his greatest fear of overdosing on his special drug, the Miraclo pill, which gave him powers for an hour, leaving him trapped in a hospital setting, but all alone; no doctors, nurses or other patients. Mister Terrific was locked in an insane asylum wearing a straight jacket. His greatest fear was being locked away and being labeled as crazy for running around in a mask.

Flash explained that, in their day, there were a lot of people that thought the masked vigilantes in the JSA were lunatics and should be locked up, despite their heroic deeds. Mister Terrific, in particular, was worried the JSA would be arrested, if the government saw them as too dangerous. Masked vigilantes and people with powers were something of an anomaly at that time, and were usually met with suspicion and mistrust. This wasn't too much of an issue for someone like Dr Fate or the Spectre, who dealt with more supernatural forces rather than street-level crime. But the fear and uncertainty was still there for the others.

Spectre raised his hands, and the now large group of reassembled heroes were standing before the portal home. "Home is right through there," Shazam said. "Dr Fate and the Wizard and Phantom Stranger are on the other side holding the portal home open. This was so awesome! It's not often I get to go to other realities, let alone save legends like you guys!"

"Flash, who is this guy, again?" Sandman asked, still a little uncertain of what was going on.

"He's eccentric," Flash replied. "Now, let's go home. I think Spectre, here, has quite a story to tell."

" _ **No one is going anywhere,"**_ a massive voice rumbled from everywhere at once. The world around them all morphed into a fire filled volcano, as if they had suddenly been swallowed by Hell itself. Before them, a huge entity unlike anything they had ever seen sat upon a demonic throne. The being had horns, bright red skin, long white hair, and four burning eyes on his head.

" _ **Your souls now belong to Trigon!"**_ the being bellowed. _**"And no one leaves Trigon's domain!"**_ The heroes turned to see a group of demon-like creatures blocking the portal home, wielding dangerous looking spears and axes.

"Trigon the Terrible," Spectre growled, his voice like acid and showing no fear. "I thought I recognized your stench of sins in this realm. I should have guessed this was your domain. Fitting, that loathsome despot such as you would reside in an empty, worthless hole, like this."

Spectre's comment caused Trigon to sneer. " _ **I know of you, Spectre,"**_ Trigon growled. _**"But I sense weakness in you. Without that vessel, you are nothing here! And you will regret showing me the path to your world."**_

Wonder Woman stepped up, recognizing a challenge. "We will never regret doing what is right, demon," she said, pulling her sword from her belt.

Trigon ignored her comment, for to him, the Amazon was as a gnat to an elephant. _**"Spectre,"**_ he growled, rising from his throne. _**"You will make an excellent trophy. You are no match for my raw power!"**_

A dark smirk crossed the Spectre's face at the challenge. "Is that a threat, demon?" he asked. "I do not respond well to threats from the kind I generally target as victims."

Trigon snarled at the jab. _**"You dare think of me as a victim?"**_ he bellowed. _**"I am Trigon! I am the destroyer of ten thousand worlds!"**_ The demon raised his arms, and an army of demons rose around them.

"Way to go, Spectre," Hourman said. "You've made them mad."

"We don't have time for this," Wonder Woman insisted. "We must return home, and I don't think we're a match for this creature in his own domain."

Unfortunately, the demons had already reached the group of heroes, and the battle had commenced. These demon-like entities were numerous, and dangerous. Wonder Woman, having been trained from a young age about combating dark magic, could almost smell the unholy energy wafting off of them. These... _things_ did not possess a soul, and no matter how many she cut down, there seemed to be an infinite number to replace them.

She looked over to see Shazam hurling lightning and powerful punches. His magic seemed to protect him to an extent. Surprisingly, Green Lantern Alan Scott also seemed to be fairing quite well. Perhaps his ring was different than the Green Lantern she knew? The Flash's speed seemed to throw the demons off guard, as he sped through the horde. Flash and Lantern were working to keep the creatures off the JSA members without powers.

Spectre had nothing to fear, of course. He raised his hands, and the demons around them collapsed into ashes. "Trigon, it was _you_ ," he accused. The Spirit of Vengeance/Danny Phantom's form then grew in size to match Trigon's massive frame. "It was you who gave Eclipso such power on that night."

" _ **Ah, yes,"**_ Trigon acknowledged. _**"The imp. Such a waste of power. His rotten soul now hangs in my trophy room. The only useful thing he managed was bringing these ones here for my amusement."**_

"We aren't your toys," Green Lantern spat. "Now, Flash!"

Flash quickly used his speed to grab Sandman and Dr Midnite, and toss them through the portal! He was planning to use his speed to grab them all and get them home. _**"NO!"**_ Trigon bellowed. He charged the group, startling them with his speed for his size. Spectre grabbed the demon king and the two titans grappled, dark power raging from them like an unholy hurricane of black and white lightning.

Seizing the opportunity, Flash grabbed Hourman and Shazam, repeating the process, followed by Wonder Woman and Green Lantern. The Crimson Comet was heading back for Mr Terrific and Star-Spangled Kid, when the Spectre and Trigon's powers crashed in a titanic blast, sending the two flying back, stunning both combatants. Spectre's now large frame crashed in between Flash and the two heroes.

Spectre seemed dazed, and shrunk back down to his normal size. The three JSA members quickly helped pick the ghost up, and they headed for the portal, glancing back to see Trigon in a similar state as the Spectre. As they reached the way home, several skeletal hands reached up from the ground! Flash and Star-Spangled Kid managed to unceremoniously toss Spectre through the portal several feet away, but they heard a scream for help, and turned around to see Mr Terrific being drug down into the ground!

"No, Terry!" Star-Spangled Kid yelled in shock. He pulled out his Cosmic Rod, and held it out for the other hero to grab onto, but it was too late, and he and Flash watched in horror as Mr Terrific was swallowed by the ground. Gasping in anger and shock, Star-Spangled Kid used his Cosmic Rod to blast at the ground where Mr Terrific was swallowed by.

"Sylvester, it's too late!" Jay insisted, putting a hand on Star-Spangled Kid's shoulder. "We have to go _now!_ Look!" The portal was beginning to falter and sputter, and a deep growl behind them alerted them that Trigon was stirring.

The two ran over to the portal, when Star-Spangled Kid let out a yell. He was caught by more of the hands! He handed Flash one end of his Cosmic Rod, and Flash tugged at it, trying desperately to save his comrade. It was not enough, unfortunately, as more demons grabbed onto Star-Spangled Kid, causing him to let go of his Cosmic Rod!

The resulting jolt caused Flash to tumble backwards through the portal with the Rod. Landing with a thud, Jay looked up to see the portal wink out of existence. Blinking in shock, he turned around to see everyone else standing or sitting nearby. Dr Fate, Phantom Stranger and the Wizard all gasped, and looked utterly exhausted at the effort of holding open the portal for so long.

"What happened to Terry and Sylvester?" Green Lantern Alan Scott asked his old friend as he helped Jay to his feet.

Somberly, Jay looked down at the Cosmic Rod in his hand and took off his helmet. "They didn't make it," he said quietly, tears in his eyes. Everyone else all looked down, sharing the sorrow. Spectre, in particular, looked vexed at the loss. The mission had been a success, but they had lost two of their own to get home.

"I am so sorry," the Wizard said, before fading away. The Phantom Stranger had similarly vanished. Shazam bade farewell, as well, leaving the heroes alone on the Rock of Eternity to contemplate what had happened.

* * *

Soon, the Spectre had teleported himself, Wonder Woman, and the surviving JSA members back to the old Brownstone. Once there, they were greeted by the rest of the Justice League. Jay Garrick and Alan Scott were surprised to learn that there was a new Flash and Green Lantern. Hawkman and Hawkgirl were overjoyed at seeing their old friends, but were also saddened over the loss of Star-Spangled Kid and Mr Terrific.

From there, Dr Fate informed the JSA of what had happened, and how long they had been gone. It was... not an easy pill to swallow for the older heroes. Even harder, after losing two of their members so suddenly. Dr Midnite asked why they couldn't simply open another portal to save Star-Spangled Kid and Mr Terrific, but Dr Fate sadly informed him that the energy required to open another portal was too great. Plus, it was too dangerous, now that they knew that a demon called Trigon would be waiting for them on the other side.

The Spectre hung in the air nearby, dour and gloomy as usual. The Justice League members were shocked to see the startling combination of Danny Phantom and the Spectre, and Wonder Woman to confront the Spirit of Vengeance. "Spectre, you said that you would release Danny Phantom once the crisis had past," she accused. "We expect you to keep your word."

Spectre cast a glare at her through Danny's eyes. _"No,"_ he answered with a growl. "Danny Phantom's body is paranormal in origin, which makes him the perfect candidate as a permanent vessel." This revelation surprised the Justice League, who quickly readied for a fight. Even the Justice Society members were shocked at Spectre's words.

"So you're just gonna keep his body, and take away his choice in the matter?" Green Lantern Hal Jordan said, leveling his power ring at the Spectre. "Uh-uh. Not gonna happen."

"Spectre, you cannot take away the boy's free will," Dr Fate insisted. "Even you are not that cruel."

"Spectre," came the voice of Jim Corrigan; Spectre's original host. "We had a deal. I was supposed to be your host. The task of Vengeance is my burden to bare, not his."

Spectre cast his gaze over the assembled heroes. Sighing, he said, "So be it." A cloud of green mist surrounded him and Jim Corrigan. Once the mist cleared, Danny Phantom was sitting on the floor dazed, and Jim Corrigan had once more donned the mantle of the Spectre.

Danny looked around in slight confusion. "What happened?" he asked. "Did we win?"

Diana offered Danny a hand, helping him to his feet. "Yes, we did," she replied. "But, at a cost."

"Oh," Danny said, looking sad. Danny looked over at the JSA. "Uh, sorry," he said. "It's great to meet you guys. I'm Danny Phantom."

"Thanks for your help, son," Jay Garrick said, tipping the brim of his helmet.

Superman and Batman walked over to the JSA members. "It's an honor to meet you all," Superman said. "And we're sorry for your loss. I'm Superman, and this is Batman. We, along with Wonder Woman, are the leading members of the Justice League of America. Um, I hope you don't mind us using your name as inspiration."

"Not at all," Sandman said. "It's good to know there are still folks out there willing to fight the good fight."

"Will you be returning to active duty?" Batman asked.

The members of the JSA looked at each other for a moment. "I don't know," sighed Dr Midnite. "There's so much to take in. What have we missed?"

Jay Garrick sighed, and looked over at Star-Spangled Kid's Cosmic Rod, which was resting on the roundtable. "We've all lost a lot," he said. "A lot of time. A lot of loved ones, I'm sure."

"Take your time," Batman said. "It's enough that your back."

Alan Scott nodded. "So," he said. "You've been using the old Brownstone as a base, huh?"

"Temporarily," Danny Phantom replied, giving a lopsided grin. "Yeah, we're kind of a group of homeless heroes, here."

"But not any longer," Batman said, startling everyone. "As you may or may not know, we've been gaining a lot of support from the public. And a generous donation from a billionaire in Gotham named Bruce Wayne has been given to us recently. We now have the resources to build our own HQ. Now, we just need to decide on a location."

"How thoughtful of Mr Wayne," Superman said, smirking knowingly. "We'll have to be sure to give him our thanks."

"Hmm," Green Lantern Hal Jordan said. "You know, I do know another Green Lantern named John Stewart. He's an architect. I bet he'd be glad to help us build it."

"Just how many Green Lanterns are there?" Alan Scott asked.

Hal chuckled as he put a hand on Alan's shoulder. "You've got a lot to catch up on, old timer."

Jay walked over to Barry Allen. "So, a new Flash, huh?" he said, taking in Barry's red suit. "Where are you based at, kid?"

"Central City," Flash responded with a grin. "You?"

"Keystone," Jay responded with a smirk. Central City and Keystone were right across the river from one another.

"You know, I've got some friends I'd like you to meet, back home," Flash said. "We could help you get back on your feet."

"I appreciate that," Jay replied. "Let's see what your made of, _Flash_." The two speedsters shook hands.

Soon, the members of the Justice League had said farewell, and excused themselves, allowing the Justice Society time to absorb everything. It would be a lot to catch up on, and it would take some serious time. Hawkman and Hawkgirl chose to stay behind to spend time with their long lost friends and help them adjust. Jay Garrick had went with the Flash, and the two speedsters headed for Central City. Hal Jordan had offered to take Alan Scott to Oa, home of the Green Lantern Corps, but Alan declined. He wanted to find what had become of his family.

The other members of the Justice League each headed home. Danny headed back to Amity Park. He was exhausted. He couldn't remember anything that had happened in that other reality. Thinking of being possessed by the Spectre made him shudder. That was something he did _not_ want to go through again. Danny was sad that Mr Terrrific and Star-Spangled Kid didn't make it. Maybe it was for the best he didn't remember.

As he flew over Amity Park, he didn't notice a figure in a dark purple cloak watching him. The person in the purple cloak watched as Danny Phantom as he arrived at his house, phasing through the roof of the absurd building. She had no expression on her pale face as she pulled her cloak tighter around her. A deep trembling of supernatural energy had lured her to this small city. A purple aura surrounded her as she flew into the night, deep in thought.

* * *

Trigon the Terrible sat upon his throne, deep in thought. He had been close. So very close to reaching _her_. Soon. Soon he would be able to open the breach himself. The foolish heroes had no clue what they had done. In opening that breach between realities, they had given him a way back to that planet he had been locked away from for so long. Those blasted witches of Azarath had sealed him away from Earth long ago. Soon, he would have his daughter, and the rest of that world would _burn_!


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: All rights belong to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author owns nothing; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Last Son's Rage**

The sun was shining in Metropolis, and people were going about their daily lives in the City of Tomorrow. But for Lex Luthor, he wasn't worried about the weather outside. He was waiting on the results of some long running tests. Tests on an alien weapon that once belonged to Brainiac. A kryptonite-tipped spear. But Lex wasn't interested in the spear, itself. Oh, no. He was interested in the large portion of kryptonite that formed the tip.

He had owned the rare, precious element several times, over the years. But he had never had such a large amount in one place. He wasn't going to used the sharpened tip of the green rock to stab his enemy through the heart like a barbarian, no. He had wanted to run experiments on the chunk of rock, to see if it could be enhanced in any way.

You see, the funny thing about normal green kryptonite was that it only weakened Superman, and Power Girl, for a short time, causing a loss of power, and a weakened state. But once the rock was a significant distance away, or covered by lead or debris, the effects stopped, and the blasted aliens were back on their feet like nothing had happened! To make matters worse, those alien freaks had formed a circus of costumed nut-jobs in tights to fight beside them.

Lex wanted a permanent solution. He wanted kryptonite that could kill the Man of Steel, out right. That's what all these months of waiting had been for. Results. He exited the elevator and entered the secret basement labs of LexCorp's main building. The large, expansive area was pristine, and bustling with some of LexCorp's best minds working on various projects. As he stalked down the hallway, he was greeted by his projects lead scientist, who said, "Mr. Luthor, what an honor to have you-"

"I'm not here for small talk and pleasantries, doctor," Lex cut the man off with a wave of his hand, not breaking stride. "I'm here for the results you promised me. Your deadline was today on this special project, and you had better have something worth both our time, and a good deal of my money."

"Oh, uh, yes sir," the scientist stuttered. "Well, what I mean is, well- Mr. Luthor, you have to realize that kryptonite is a very rare element that comes from the remains of Superman's home planet, Krypton-"

"For God's sake, man," Luthor sneered, his temper boiling over. "I don't need a damned history lesson! I know all too well what kryptonite is and where it comes from! That blasted planet has given me more grief in my life than-" Lex cut himself off and took a deep breath. It wasn't his employees fault, he told himself. The man was just doing his job by being thorough. "Never mind. Just get to the point."

"Y-yes, sir," the scientist said. "As I was about to say, the alien nature of the rock, and it's unique radiation makes it difficult to manipulate."

"This, I know," Lex acknowledged, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We've had trouble amplifying it's effects," the doctor continued. He led Lex over to a metallic dome shaped machine. "But during our testing, we've come across something... unexpected." Pressing a switch on a nearby console, the dome hissed open, and white vapor poured out. A red glow came from within the dome, and Lex saw a small red jewel inside.

"What's this?" Lex asked.

"That is the sample you allowed us to test on, sir," the scientist replied. Using a small pair of tongs, he reached in to retrieve the steaming red crystal. "After exposing the kryptonite to various levels of gamma radiation, photons and other tests, we seem to have altered the core composition of the unique radiation it emits. As you can see, it now glows a red color-"

"This is what I get?" Lex demanded, swiping the small rock from the scientist. "All that money, all those months, and all you've managed to do was discover a new way to make fake rubies? All you imbeciles have managed to do was change the color from green to red!?"

"N-no, sir!" the scientist insisted. "As I said, the radiation it emits has changed! It's unstable! We have no idea what it might do to Superman!"

Lex thought for a moment. "Could it kill him?" he asked, plainly.

"We don't know," the doctor said. "It might. Or, it might totally take away his abilities, or any number of possible things. We have no way to test it. All we know is that the effects could be completely unpredictable."

A smile formed on Lex Luthor's lips as the idea of the possibilities set in. "I just might have a way to test it."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, in Amity Park...**_

It was a bright, sunny and warm summer day in Amity Park, and Danny Fenton, alongside his best friends Sam Manson and Tucker Foley, were enjoying the day to the fullest. The three were sprawled out on the vibrant green grass of the park, laying under the shade of the massive oak tree.

"Ah" Danny sighed, fully relaxed. "Isn't summer vacation great? No school, no cruddy teachers, no homework. Just the warm sun."

"Amen to that, dude," Tucker replied. "When else can we just chill at the park on a Monday morning? Enjoy the moment, guys, cause when we grow up, we'll be working our butts off at this time of day."

"You don't even like mowing your parents lawn, Tuck," Sam commented, a sly grin on her purple lips. "You think you'll have the stamina to work all day somewhere?"

"Ha, ha, very funny Sam," Tucker crossed his arms. "You'll be laughing the other way, when I get hired by Wayne Enterprises' I.T. department in Gotham. Or, I could work for R&D at Queen Inc. in Starling City!"

"I'm not sure you'd be cut out to live in either of those places, Tucker," Sam teased. "Gotham's a rough town, and Starling City's not far behind."

Life was good for Danny, who watched his best friends bicker in their usual funny way. After the whole incident with the JSA, things had been quiet. Ghost activity was down, and so far, no major threats to the world had occurred. It had been so quiet, in fact, that the Justice League had spent it's time designing their new headquarters.

The first thing they had done was take a vote on the location for their new HQ. The Flash had offered STAR Labs as a viable HQ in Central City, but Batman disliked the idea of the League moving the base into a facility with a less than stellar reputation after the particle accelerator incident.

Danny Phantom and Green Lantern Hal Jordan had voted for a headquarters in space, placed in low orbit above the Earth. This idea was intriguing to the other members, but it posed several issues. Firstly, how would those who couldn't survive in space reach the HQ? And secondly, how would they all get up there quickly in an emergency? So, the idea was put on the back-burner, for the moment.

It was Superman and Wonder Woman who came up with the winning idea. They had the idea of a building, similar in function to the United Nations, except for the super human community. A Hall of Justice, as Superman had called it, to serve as a beacon of hope and justice. A building that could function as a headquarters and a heavily fortified location, should worse come to worse.

This idea seemed to satisfy the other members of the League, and Wonder Woman believed that with her diplomatic ties as an ambassador from Paradise Island, she could help secure a spot for the Hall to be constructed in Washington, D.C. With consultation from the Green Lantern known as John Stewart, who was an architect in his spare time, the Hall of Justice would soon become a reality for the League. Yup, things were going good.

"Hey, Danny," came the deep voice of his father, Jack. The Fenton family were also at the park having a picnic. "What do you think the odds are of you getting your mother and me a spot on the Justice League?"

"Dad, keep your voice down!" Danny groaned. "The rest of the world doesn't need to know my identity, and I'd like to keep it that way! And to answer your question, I don't think that would work out, too well." Jack looked downcast, but Maddie cheered him up with a fudge brownie.

"Dude, I still think it's kinda weird that your folks know you're Danny Phantom," Tucker said. After the Brainiac invasion, when Danny was forced to reveal his identity to his parents, they had been surprisingly cool with it.

"At least they aren't shooting at him, anymore," Sam commented, raising her dark sunglasses to look at Tucker.

"Yeah, it was weird, at first," Danny said. "But, I'm used to it, now. I don't even want to think about that, right now. Let's just enjoy the freedom!" The members of Team Phantom sighed in contentment, as the clouds rolled lazily over head. Out of the corner of his eye, Danny thought he saw a dark figure peaking out from an alleyway at him from across the street, but when he looked over, it had disappeared. _'Huh, that's weird,'_ he thought. It almost looked like a girl, but since his ghost sense didn't go off, he simply shrugged, and went back to lounging.

* * *

Back in Metropolis, Superman was on his usual patrol that he would take during Clark Kent's lunch hour. He was flying over the Little Bohemia district, when his incredible hearing picked up something from in the distance he never wanted to hear. It was the sound of someone screaming, as though they were falling!

He focused his hearing, and rocketed towards the source of the scream at incredible speed. In record time, Superman made it to the building where the scream had come from; the LexCorp head office. But, he didn't see anyone! In dismay, he scanned the ground, fearing he was too late, but saw nothing; no body, no disturbance to the people walking or driving below.

Frowning in confusion, he heard the scream again, and he looked up to see an all too familiar figure standing on the balcony, many stories above. Lex Luthor, and he was holding a small device. Scowling, the Man of Steel rose up to the lavish balcony just outside of Luthor's personal office. Floating several feet above Lex, he glared at his old enemy and crossed his arms over his large chest, realizing the sound was coming from the device in the bald man's hand.

"Impressive, I must say," Lex said, looking at his watch. "Record time getting here. Your red-suited friend would be proud, I'd wager. I heard the sonic boom from here; why, you must have been on the other side of the city."

"Explain yourself, Lex," Superman demanded; having little to no patience for the lunatic.

"It was just a new invention my boys the the R&D team were working on," Lex said, innocently. "It can produce a sound on a frequency only Kryptonian's can hear, Superman. I was thinking on mass producing them, and donating them to law enforcement and emergency responders around the city. You know, as way of alerting you in a crisis. After all, Batman has his ridiculous night light; shouldn't you have something, too?"

"But that scream, why would you choose that sound?" Superman asked.

"Well, this is just a prototype, you see," Luthor replied. "Obviously, the real thing won't have that sound. But I needed something that could get you here in a heartbeat. If I had chosen something other than that, like a simple beep, you would have taken your time. That's why I chose this scream, until I could think of something less disturbing. Very convincing acting, eh? Maybe I should give Mercy a raise for her performance?" Mercy Graves was Lex's personal bodyguard. Superman narrowed his eyes at Lex, saying nothing. As he prepared to leave the billionaire to his own devices, Lex said, "Wait a moment, Superman."

Superman turned back, a frown on his face. Lex walked back into his office, placing the device on his desk. "I know you and I have our differences," Lex continued. "But, man to man, I do respect you. Or, at least, your tenacity."

"What are you getting at, Lex?" Superman asked, suspicion rising in his voice. He eyed Lex cautiously, while still floating outside.

"I have a question for you," Luthor replied. He pulled out a small black box. "I recently came into possession of this. It's some kind of space rock. Being the alien that you are, perhaps you could identify it, for me.

"I know it isn't kryptonite," he lied smoothly. "Kryptonite is green, after all. All my experts know is that it's not from Earth." He pulled out a bright red rock and held it up, studying it closely. "I'd like your opinion. As I said, you are the only alien I know, after all."

"Do I have the word 'stupid' written across my forehead?" Superman asked, scowling. "You're never this friendly with me unless there is something for you to gain."

Lex held up his hands, smiling amiably. "You got me, Superman," he chuckled. "There is something in it for me. I spent a small fortune on this, and I want to make sure I didn't get screwed. In fact, dare I say that- Oops!" Lex tripped over the rug between his office window and the large balcony, sending the red rock sailing towards Superman, who caught it!

Instantly, Superman groaned. He fell out of the air, colliding with the railing on Lex's balcony before plummeting to the street below. Lex rose to his feet, and dusted himself off, a smug expression on his face. He calmly walked over to the edge of the ruined railing, and gazed down. Mercy walked up beside him, and asked, "Wasn't that a little overly complicated, sir?"

"Sometimes you need to put on a show," Lex replied. "Now, let's get out of here, and observe the results from somewhere safe."

Down below, Superman had made a small crater in the pavement, but miraculously, he hadn't hit anyone when he landed. His head was swimming. He was dazed, and he shook his head, trying to clear it. When nothing happened, he grew frustrated. Without thinking, he dropped the red kryptonite and crawled out of the crater. A crowd had gathered around him when he had landed.

Their concerned murmurs were like thunder in Superman's ears. He grimaced, as he rose to one knee. "Get back," he slurred. In the back of his mind, he knew the red rock was some kind of kryptonite, but he... just couldn't... _focus_ with all these people around him! He stumbled to his feet, as though drunk, but he was growing more steady. The concerned murmurs seemed to grow louder, and some of them were taking pictures on their phones.

"All of you, just go away!" Superman half shouted, growing angry. "Go on! Just... get away from me! Are you deaf?"

"Hey, Superman, a little early to be drinking, eh?" One of the crowd shouted, causing laughter from the crowd.

Scowling, Superman took off, flying away, but he seemed unsteady still, bumping into a lamp post. _'Jerks,'_ he thought bitterly and embarrassed. _'After all I do for them, they laugh at me? Who do they think they are?'_ As his thoughts grew more embittered, he grew more ticked off. In the back of his mind, he knew this was somehow Lex's fault, but he couldn't think straight. He was just so _angry_. He looked at the time on a nearby clock tower, and realized his lunch hour was over.

 _'Great,'_ he scowled. Heading back towards the Daily Planet, he heard something off in the distance. Sounded like gun fire and people yelling. Sirens wailing. The more he listened to the world around him, the more and more disgusted he felt. These humans... they did nothing but cause problems. Couldn't they go one day without messing something up? One day without ruining his? All he did was fly around and save them, and for what? So he could be stuck at a thankless, dead end reporting job, and living in a small apartment?

Sure, he had Lois, but what else? An irritating, ungrateful cousin? A bunch of so-called 'allies' in the Justice League? The thought of the others almost made him sick, in his present mood. They were all jealous of him, and they knew it. As if he needed any of them. Superman was a one-man army. Hell, he could take out several armies with both arms tied behind his back. The Justice League needed _him_ , not the other way around. And not one thank you? They didn't respect him...

Superman was now shaking with rage. No, that was it... The world took him for granted... They didn't respect him, they just _expected_ him to clean up their messes. He rose above the city, and crossed his arms, his long red cape flowing behind him. Maybe it was time to remind this city- no, the world, that Kal-El of Krypton was someone to be respected...

* * *

Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern Hal Jordan were currently looking over plans for the Hall of Justice. They were at the embassy in D.C. that Wonder Woman used for her ambassadorial duties. Utilizing rough plans drawn up by Green Lantern John Stewart, Hal used his ring to make a small 3D model. They were in deep discussion, when a surprising news bulletin interrupted their thoughts.

They were shocked, to say the least. On the large TV screen, images and video of Superman quickly crashing through buildings Metropolis! Wonder Woman and Batman both stared in disbelief at the screen. They all knew this wasn't good. At. All. "What the hell?" Green Lantern wondered aloud. Was Superman fighting some super criminal? Or had he just snapped?

Batman's frown deepened. "How fast can you get us to Metropolis?" Batman asked Lantern.

Green Lantern looked Batman square in the eye. _"Fast,"_ he replied.

* * *

Shortly, Green Lantern had flown himself and Batman via a light construct fighter jet from D.C. to Metropolis. Wonder Woman had told them she would meet them there; that she had her own transport. Batman and Green Lantern landed on the roof of a skyscraper, Batman rolling to a stop as the glowing green jet disappeared. They heard the sound of another jet over head, but looked up to see nothing.

On a nearby rooftop, Wonder Woman appeared to be sitting in mid air, and jumped to the roof under her, before flying over to meet Batman and Green Lantern. She was adorned in her usual armor and blade, only now she brandished a shield with shining gold and silver designs on it. "Uh, how did you get here?" Lantern asked. "I mean, I know you can fly, but-"

"Invisible jet," Wonder Woman answered simply. "For when I need to get somewhere fast."

Batman and Green Lantern frowned at each other. "You have an invisible jet," Lantern asked Wonder Woman flatly. "How the hell can you fly an invisible-"

"Where is Superman?" Wonder Woman asked, changing the subject. Superman had seemingly gone silent as they approached the city.

Batman pulled out a small device from his belt. "He's close," Batman said. "I've been tracking his flight path."

"Pfft, on what?" Green Lantern snorted. "Your own satellite?"

In response, Batman glanced over his shoulder at the Lantern, giving an unreadable expression before returning his gaze to the device in his hand, which was beeping softly.

"I was kidding," Green Lantern said in disbelief. "You have a _satellite_?!"

"Here he comes," Batman said, as a sonic boom sounded overhead, and a blue blur screamed across the sky, crashing through several buildings, leaving large holes, before crashing into a construction site, where a large old building was in the process of being torn down. The workers all ran for their lives as a dark dust cloud rose.

Green Lantern smirked, and said, "Last one to that building is a-" He was cut off by Batman leaping off the rooftop and grappling to another, and Wonder Woman took off in the air, following. Lantern frowned as he took off, himself, heading towards Superman's location. "Ugh, buzzkills," he muttered.

The three heroes landed at the site, and a green box surrounded Batman and Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern made his way towards the old building where Superman had crashed into. He had a cocky grin on his face, and he looked back at them. "Wait here, I got this," he said.

"What are you thinking?" Wonder Woman asked. Green Lantern's arrogance never ceased to baffle her. Batman scowled, as he watched Green Lantern.

"No offense," Green Lantern continued, as he walked through the door. "But you guys might get in the way. Here's the plan: Green Lantern kicks Superman's ass, TMZ's got the video."

The two heroes watched as, for a moment, nothing happened. This changed very quickly, however, as large crashes yells could be heard coming from the inside of the building. Green light shown through the windows, and Superman's heat vision cut through various parts of the structure.

Suddenly, Green Lantern came crashing through the wall, and collided at high speed through the box construct he had made around Batman and Wonder Woman! Batman ducked as the construct shattered and Lantern hit Wonder Woman, sending them both flying into a nearby tanker truck, which exploded into a ball of fire. Batman grunted, as he stood up, very thankful that Lantern had collided with Wonder Woman, and not him. They could both withstand something like that; he could not.

Before Batman could react, a large blue and red blur grabbed him and slammed him into a wall! Superman held the Dark Knight by the collar of his cape, and snarled, "So, you've come to oppose me? You should have stayed in that rat infested sewer you call Gotham, _Bruce_."

Batman was surprised; Superman never talked like that. He quickly pulled out a batarang and cut the fabric before rolling away from Superman, who turned around with a dangerous smirk on his face. Batman leaped into the air, and threw several smoke bombs to the ground. Using the cover he ducked behind a chunk of debris. "I can still see you," Superman spat. Batman spun around to launch his grappler to get to higher ground. As the cable launched, it was caught by Superman, who had used his speed to catch it.

"You aren't going anywhere," Superman said. Batman back flipped away from a punch from the Man of Steel, and tossed another batarang, this time at Superman's head. Superman caught it easily, but didn't flinch as it exploded in his face. Batman used the distraction to grapple up to a large metal scaffolding.

Superman responded by using his heat vision to sever the metal beam Batman had just landed on, causing Batman to fall back to the ground. Barely managing to roll with the fall, Batman ducked behind another beam, as Superman continued to fire his heat vision. Batman tossed a bronze metal tube at the ground between himself and Superman. The tube opened up and an ear splitting sonic screech was emitted from the device.

Superman winced at the high level of sound, but merely stomped on the the device, silencing it. Batman threw himself out of the way, as Superman charged at him, barely missing Batman's head with a massive punch that crumbled the wall behind him. That blow would have shattered Batman's skull, if it had connected. This was a doomsday scenario for Batman. He hadn't prepared for a full on fight with the Man of Steel today.

As he rolled away, Superman surprised him by using his speed to grab his arm, Batman tried to kick Superman in the face out of desperation, knowing full well that once Superman got his hands on him, he was toast. Whatever had happened to Superman, it had warped his brain; made him almost feral. Superman tossed him into a wall nearby, causing Batman to grunt as the air rushed out of his lungs.

Superman was on him instantly, grabbing Batman by the throat. Hoisting the Dark Knight off the ground, Superman snarled, his eyes glowing red. "Your belt is empty," he growled. "You've run out of tricks. You've never respected me, Batman. And I'm going to show this world what happens when someone disrespects me!

"Surrender," Superman continued to rant. "Tell me you respect me; beg for mercy, and I'll let you live!"

"Nggh, I'm trying... to," Batman choked, barely able to form words around the iron vice grip Superman had around Batman's neck. Batman fumbled for a small lead lined pouch in the back of his belt, where he kept a small chunk of kryptonite, in case something like this happened. He hoped it wouldn't have come to this...

"Round two, fly boy!" Green Lantern suddenly called, surprising Superman. Large green glowing chains soared through the air towards Superman, who dropped Batman to swat the chains way. A larger construct chain managed to hit Superman in the side, knocking him several feet away.

Meanwhile, Wonder Woman had also recovered, and rushed over to Batman's side. "Are you alright?" she asked, helping the Dark Knight to his feet.

Batman grunted, and rubbed his throat. "I'll live," he rasped. They both looked to see Green Lantern continuing his assault on Superman with his large light construct chains, which had managed to snare Superman, wrapping around his body like snakes, squeezing hard.

"Chains?" Superman asked, his eyes filled with rage. "Don't make me laugh." Straining with all his might, Superman shattered Green Lantern's constructs, sending their broken chunks flying before they faded away. Green Lantern himself was knocked back, floating just above Batman and Wonder Woman.

"We're not going to stop him by ourselves," Batman said. "Something's happened to him. We have to help him."

"Help _him_?" Lantern repeated in disbelief. "Who's gonna help _us_?"

But before Batman could answer, Superman had recovered, and launched himself at the trio, intending to smash them like insects. Green Lantern was barely able to construct a bubble shield around them before Superman's attack landed. They were sent flying in the air, and Superman pressed his assault, brutally delivering punch after punch, sending them flying farther and farther away and crashing through building after building.

Green Lantern's light bubble acted like a ball, causing them to bounce. For any spectators watching, it looked like Superman was playing with a large glowing bouncy ball. Batman noticed Lantern straining to keep his concentration going against such an assault, and cracks were beginning to form on the shield.

"Lantern, _focus_ ," Batman said sternly. "You stop concentrating, and that shield breaks apart!"

" _Shut up_ ," Lantern sneered in annoyance, gritting his teeth. But another double-fisted blow sent them crashing to the street below, bouncing off several parked cars. People on the streets panicked and scattered. You live in Metropolis long enough, you know to run when something like this happens. One last punch shattered the bubble shield, and the three heroes were sent to the ground. Lantern recovered in mid air, while Wonder Woman landed gracefully. Batman managed to roll with the fall, and landed in a crouch.

"He's gonna kill us!" Green Lantern shouted.

"No he won't," Wonder Woman announced, unsheathing her blade and shield. "I've seen enough of this temper tantrum." She hadn't made a move against Superman, thus far, because she wanted to observe, hoping she could see a way to end things peacefully. But she wouldn't stand by while her friend caused harm to others.

"Keep him occupied," Batman ordered. "I'm calling in the others." Pulling out his comlink, he said, "This is a priority alert to all available JLA members: Get to Metropolis, now! Superman's gone rogue."

The rogue Superman, meanwhile, had circled back, and blasted down the street towards them, making a sonic boom with his approach which caused all the nearby glass to shatter. Wonder Woman gave a battle yell, and rushed to meet her opponent head on. The resounding shock wave was impressive. Batman and Green Lantern looked on at the battle between two seeming gods. Batman hoped the others got here soon. They had to end this.

* * *

Danny, Sam and Tucker were walking down the street to the Nasty Burger for a bite. After getting bored with the park they had been wandering aimlessly, but not unhappy, with Danny telling Sam and Tucker about the other JLA members, when a beeping in Danny's pocket got their attention. "Uh-oh," Danny muttered.

He pulled out his JLA communicator, and pressed a button on it, only to hear Batman's voice coming through. _"This is a priority alert to all available JLA members: Get to Metropolis, now! Superman's gone rogue."_ The message was set to repeat, and played again.

"Holy crap!" Sam exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. "Superman's gone rogue? That's terrifying!"

"Yeah, dude, you gotta go," Tucker also exclaimed. "But how are you gonna get there in time? Superman's dangerous enough to the bad guys; now he's dangerous to everyone else, too!"

"Leave getting there to me," Danny said, ducking behind a dumpster to change forms into Danny Phantom. "Just let my parents know what's going on!" Danny flew off, leaving his friends behind.

"Ya know," Tucker said. "I still can't get used to this whole 'Danny's parents know his secret' thing."

Meanwhile, Danny pulled out his communicator while he flew over the Amity Park. "Flash, it's Phantom," he said into the communicator. "I need you to come and get me. I know, that sounds really lame, like I'm asking for a ride, but I'm not fast enough to get there in time without your help!"

" _No problem,"_ came the response. _"You're in Illinois, right? I guess that's not too far outta my way."_

"Just hurry, dude," Danny huffed. A few minutes later, Danny saw a red blur trailing electricity behind it racing throughout Amity Park. Even in the late afternoon sun, the red shine color was obvious. The Flash had arrived. Danny hovered outside City Hall for a moment, until the Flash found him. The Flash skidded to a stop in front of Danny, sparks coming off of his boots. "Wow, your city's really nice," the Scarlet Speedster panted, catching his breath. "I mean, it's nowhere as big as Central City but-"

"Uh huh, that's nice" Danny Phantom interrupted. "But we do have an emergency in Metropolis, so..."

"Oh, yeah, right, totally, let's go," Flash said. He walked over to Danny, and was about to grab him and race away, when a thought dawned on him. "Um, wait a second, aren't you, like, a ghost, or something? If I touch you, won't I just, you know, _phase_ through you?"

"Only if I want you to," Danny sighed. "Trust me, you'll be fine. But one thing. If you try to pick me up bridal style, you are _so_ getting your butt kicked."

The comment made Flash laugh, and he grabbed Danny's shoulder, and they sped off like a bat out of hell. Danny wasn't sure how long they'd been moving, but all of the sudden, Flash came to a halt, and they were in Metropolis. "Wow, that was trippy," Danny gasped. He was fast, but nowhere even close to the Flash. Danny thanked the heavens for his supernatural equilibrium, because without it, he was certain he'd have lost his lunch.

"Good, you're here," came Batman's voice. Danny and Flash turned to see the Dark Knight approaching them. "Power Girl just arrived a moment ago. She and Wonder Woman are trying to contain Superman."

"What happened?" Flash asked.

"I'm not certain," Batman said. "But I have a hunch. Flash, you're with me. Phantom, I need you to assist the others in trying contain Superman. Do whatever you have to to stop him from hurting anyone. Or himself. Superman isn't in his right mind."

"Not looking forward to this," Danny said, taking off. Fighting Superman was not high on Danny's list of things he wanted to do in life.

"What do you need from me?" Flash asked.

"We need to get to LexCorp HQ," Batman said. "Something tells me Lex Luthor has a hand in this."

Meanwhile, Danny Phantom followed the sounds of battle and shouting to find Superman fending off Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Power Girl. Pretty impressive, considering none of them were pushovers by any means.

"Come on, Kal," Power Girl shouted, blocking blows from her cousin. "I don't want to do this! What happened to you?" Superman managed to land a punch square on her jaw, creating a loud crack, and sending her careening into the pavement below. Rubbing her jaw, she scowled. "Alright, fine. You asked for it."

"Yikes," Danny said, floating up to her. "You okay?"

Power Girl got to her feet. "I'm fine," she huffed. "It's him I'm worried about."

Wonder Woman lassoed Superman with her glowing lasso and drew him close to her. "Submit," she ordered.

Superman's answer was to headbutt her, forcing her to lose her grip on the lasso. "I submit to no one," Superman yelled. "You're no match for my power, Diana."

"Did I mention I'm an Amazon?" Wonder Woman retorted. She grabbed Superman's arm as he attempted to punch her, and tossed him over her shoulder. Not letting go of his arm, she used her other arm to hold him in a headlock. This time it was Superman's turn to flip Wonder Woman, sending her to the flying. Quickly grabbing a car nearby, he smashed it down on top of her while she was stunned.

Danny flew up to deliver a hard punch to Superman, but even with his strength, it did nothing. "Ouch," Danny winced, holding his wrist. "They aren't kidding when they call you the Man of Steel!"

Superman answered by swatting Danny with the back of his hand, and Danny careened through the window of a building. He had never been hit so hard in his life, and Superman wasn't even trying! The whole world was spinning! Power Girl returned the favor of the blow he gave her earlier, and unleashed on her cousin. "Anything you can dish out, I can match, Kal!" she shouted. Superman blocked one of her blows and blasted her full flush in the face with his heat vision, causing her to yell in pain. He grabbed her by the cape and swung her like a tornado. Letting go, Power Girl went flying across the city, eventually colliding with the giant globe statue on top of the Daily Planet.

"Not cool," Green Lantern yelled, creating a locomotive that barreled into Superman, but to Lantern's surprise, Superman caught the construct train and crushed it. Instantly, Superman flew up to Green Lantern, and using his speed, he grabbed Green Lantern's arm and snapped it over his shoulder!

Green Lantern yelled out in pain, and fell to the ground, clutching his broken arm. "Lantern," Danny called, having recovered from getting hit by Superman. He rushed over to aid his ally, as Power Girl and Wonder Woman continued to grapple with Superman. "Hang in there. You need to get away from here."

"Not going to happen," Green Lantern hissed. He tried to get to his feet, but he was in too much pain. Switching his ring to his unbroken left arm, he created a sling to cradle his broken arm. "I'm not done, yet."

"Oh, yes, you are," Danny replied. "You'll get killed if you try to keep this up!"

Meanwhile, Batman and Flash were investigating the crater Superman had first made when he landed outside of LexCorp's building. "Sources say that it all started with Superman crashing here," Batman told Flash.

"Yeah, it's way too big of a coincidence that it just so happens to be just outside LexCorp," Flash replied.

"I found something," Batman announced. Underneath some of the rocks was a small glowing crystal.

"What's that?" Flash asked, looking over Batman's shoulder. "Is that kryptonite?"

"Kryptonite is green," Batman said. "But it's definitely a clue."

Their thoughts were interrupted by Danny Phantom's voice over their communicators. _"Guys, Green Lantern's hurt. His arm is broken."_

"Flash, go help them out," Batman ordered. Flash nodded, and sped off. Batman stuck the red gem in the lead lined pouch on his belt. "Lantern, get out of there. Everyone, we need to take Superman down. Now. We just need to incapacitate him."

"Batman!" called a voice from behind him. Lois Lane ran up to the caped crusader. They had met during his first encounter with Superman.

"You shouldn't be out here," Batman said, gruffly. "It's a war zone."

"It's also my husband your fighting," Lois said. Batman and Superman knew each other's identity, so by extension, Lois knew he was Bruce Wayne. "And you have to help him. This could destroy his good standing with the people of Metropolis. A trust he's worked so hard to build could be undone by this You need to get him out of the city. Hell, take him to space if you have to, but you have to get him out of here and fix him."

Batman looked her straight in the eye. "I plan on it," he said. "Now, get out of here. In his current state, he's more likely to attack you than talk to you."

* * *

"'Incapacitate him', he says," Danny huffed under his breath. "Easier said than done." He turned intangible to block Superman's blows. He blasted Superman with his ghost ray, which actually made him flinch due to their supernatural qualities. Seizing the opportunity, Danny Phantom said, "I don't know what ticked you off, but you really need to chill out!"

Phantom glowed blue, and used his ice powers to encase Superman's body in ghostly ice, leaving only his head exposed. Unable to fly, Superman plummeted to the ground below with a thud. Danny hovered above the struggling Man of Steel, as the others joined him. "Well, that could have ended much worse," Danny shrugged. "What do we do with him, now?"

"We'll take him to his Fortress of Solitude," Power Girl suggested. "It's far enough away that we can figure what's happened to him in relative safety."

"You aren't taking me _anywhere_!" shouted Superman. He strained with all his might, and actually began to crack the ghost ice surrounding his body! The ice shattered in an explosion of ice shards, knocking everyone back and he rose high in the air above the city, his eyes blazing red. "You are all gnats at my feet! And I won't tolerate your existence any longer!"

Danny sat up next to Batman, dreading the thought that just crossed his mind. But there might be no other way. It might cost him his spot on the team. If he survived, that is. "I might have a way to bring him down," Danny said to Batman. "But it's risky. Really risky. I have no way of knowing what will happen. But if it works, it might be our only hope."

Batman glared hard at Danny Phantom. He didn't like vague ideas; he liked certainty. He glanced around to see the battered Justice League nearby, cut and bruised. They couldn't go on trading blows with Superman like this. If they weren't concerned with not destroying the entire city, they could truly unleash on him, but as it stood, they were only making Superman angrier. Given their current situation, he couldn't afford to be picky about whatever gets the job done. Looking at Phantom, he said, "If you think it will work, do it."

Danny took a deep breath as he stood up. "Cover your ears," he said to the others. "It's going to get loud."

He flew up to meet Superman in the air. Superman gazed at him with glowing red eyes in judgment, his arms crossed over his chest. "So, Batman's sending _you_ to meet your fate, first?" he sneered.

Danny held his hands up. "Not exactly," he said. "I didn't want to do this to you, big guy. But, let's face it. You kinda deserve it!" He then sucked in a deep breath, and unleashed his most devastating attack: his Ghostly Wail! The incredible sound wave blared out like a green paranormal shockwave, shattering windows in the area. Superman yelled out in pain, clutching his ears; his kryptonian super hearing particularly sensitive to the supernatural properties attack. Down below, the other Justice League members covered their ears, as well. Power Girl, in particular, nearly fell to her knees because her hearing was just as strong as her cousin's.

Danny continued the intense attack, but could feel himself weakening. He couldn't keep this up for much longer. Superman continued to grip the sides of his head in anguish, before falling into unconsciousness and falling limply to the ground below. Danny Phantom could no longer sustain the attack, and he began to slowly fall to Earth, fighting to stay conscious. As he sputtered in the air, he eventually fell into a nearby alley.

The other members of the Justice League were shaken by the level of sound that assaulted the area. Flash ran over to check on Power Girl, who was bleeding from her ears. Thankfully, that supernatural sonic-attack was aimed at Superman, who was several stories in the air, so they were spared from the worst of it.

Batman pointed to Superman's un-moving form. "Restrain him, and get him ready to transport him," he ordered. Wonder Woman quickly tied up Superman with her lasso. "Power Girl, are you well enough to lead us to the Fortress?"

Power Girl stood rubbing the sides of her head. "Yeah," she muttered. "Just give me a minute." She was still having trouble hearing after... whatever the hell that was.

"What about Phantom?" Flash asked.

"I'll check on him," Batman said. "Flash, get Lantern to a medical facility." Flash nodded, and sped off with Green Lantern, who wasn't looking too sharp after having his arm shattered by Superman. Batman ran down the alley where Danny Phantom crashed. As he rounded the corner, he was surprised to see a brief flash of light. His eyes widened beneath his cowl, as he saw, not Danny Phantom, but a black haired boy in a white shirt and jeans laying on the ground.

Batman crouched over the unconscious boy. His eyes narrowed as he checked the boy's pulse. He was alive, and didn't look injured. As he studied the boy's features, he realized they were the same as Danny Phantom's. Batman frowned, he had suspected there was more to Phantom's story. But all of that would have to wait. He reached down to shake Danny's shoulder. "Danny," he said softly. "Danny, are you alright?"

The boy groaned, and slowly blinked his blue eyes open. He saw Batman hunched over him, and he gave a yelp! "Oh, crap, crap, uh, oh, man, crap!" he panicked, scrambling to stand up, realizing he had reverted into his Fenton form.

Batman held up his hands, "Easy, Danny," he said. "Take it easy."

Danny stammered and stuttered, his mind racing. " _Calm down_ ," Batman said, his stern, icy voice cut through Danny's racing thoughts. "You clearly have quite the story to tell, but we don't have time for this. We have to move Superman before he wakes up. Do you need any medical attention?"

Danny shook his head, uncertain how to respond. "Good," Batman said. "How long until you can transform again?" Batman surmised that Phantom's powers were exhausted using that sonic attack.

Danny shook his head. "Uh, I'm not sure," he said softly. "It varies. That's why I don't use my Ghostly Wail too often; it takes all of my power. It worked, though, right?"

"Yes," Batman said. "You can stay here in Metropolis, if you want, unless you can manage to change back in the next few minutes. I'll let the others know you left to recover."

"Wait, you aren't upset?" Danny asked. "You aren't going to tell the others?"

Batman pulled out a device on his belt, and used it to summon the Batwing, which would arrive shortly. "I'm not thrilled," Batman said coldly, before turning to leave the alley. "But who you really are is not something I'm concerned with right now. Besides." He turned to give Danny an unreadable expression. "It's not my secret to tell." He turned to leave Danny Fenton, who now had a lot to think about.

"Wait," Danny called, causing Batman to turn around. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. Despite his fatigue, two rings of light sputtered around his waist, and with great effort they forced their way across his body, revealing a very tired Danny Phantom. Leaning against a wall for support, he said, "That's all I can manage. I can't fly or anything. At least, not for a while."

Batman nodded, and continued down the alley with Danny Phantom walking behind him, somewhat sluggishly. Once the two rejoined Wonder Woman and Power Girl, Superman was still unconscious. Power Girl looked over at Danny Phantom, and frowned as she asked, "Just what the hell was that, anyway? I thought my eardrums were going to explode!"

Danny winced as he noticed that her ears had been bleeding; he had hoped he was far enough in the air that the others wouldn't be affected as much as Superman. "I'm sorry, Power Girl," he apologized. "That was my Ghostly Wail. It's my strongest attack. Like a weapon of last resort. I'm sorry. You okay?"

Power Girl frowned and crossed her arms. "I'll be fine," she said.

"You did what you had to," Wonder Woman said to Danny.

The Batwing roared overhead, and hovered above them. It was carrying a box underneath it. "What's in there?" Danny asked.

"A specialized cage Superman helped me design some time ago," Batman explained. "In case something like this ever happened. It contains red sun lamps that will remove Superman's powers if he wakes up. We can transport him in this."

"I'll lead the way to the Fortress," Power Girl said after they safely loaded the still restrained Superman into the box under the Batwing. She was about to head to the sky, when a wave of dizziness overcame her. She held her forehead, and sighed.

"Your inner ears are still recovering," Batman said. "It must be the paranormal properties of Phantom's Ghostly Wail that affected you and Superman more than the rest of us. Kryptonians are more susceptible to magic and the supernatural, after all. You should ride with Wonder Woman in her jet. Phantom and I will follow in the Batwing."

Power Girl nodded, and followed Wonder Woman back to her invisible jet. Without saying anything, Batman grabbed Danny's arm, and used his grappler to launch them up into the cockpit of the Batwing.

Shortly, Wonder Woman signaled them that they were ready to depart, and the Batwing accelerated away from Metropolis. "So, um, about earlier," Danny said, nervously fidgeting in his seat.

Batman glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "We can worry about that, later," he said. "You should rest. The coordinates Power Girl gave for the Fortress are a long way away."

Danny gave a defeated sigh at Batman's words. After a moment, his exhaustion over coming him, he passed out. The two rings of light circled him once more, leaving the black haired boy in Phantom's place again.

Batman now had a lot to think about. When it came to Danny Phantom, he hadn't overruled any possible suggestion, whether he was a meta human, or was indeed a ghost. He had seen too much in his life to discount any explanation for anything, simply because it couldn't be explained by science. But the fact that he was, in fact, a boy, complicated matters.

He looked over at the sleeping form of the boy. He looked to be the same age as Robin. Could he, in good conscience, allow Phantom to continue to put his life at risk by staying in the Justice League? Sighing, Batman put the matter of Danny Phantom aside for the moment. He had Superman to contend with. Hopefully, they could figure out a way to reverse whatever had happened to the Man of Steel.


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Damage Control**

"Danny," Batman said. "Danny. We're almost there." Batman's voice startled Danny awake in the co-pilot seat.

Danny blinked a few times and remembered he was sitting in the Batwing. He felt more rested after passing out, and transformed back into Phantom. He looked out the window and saw it was dark, and snow was whipping past the window. "Uh, where are we?" he asked Batman as he popped his neck.

"In the arctic circle," Batman replied. "Power Girl said the Fortress is close."

Danny nodded. The two said nothing for a short while and the silence was starting to make Danny fidget. "So," he said. "About earlier; about my identity-"

"We're not discussing that, right now," Batman interrupted, his icy voice silencing Danny. "We need to stay focused on Superman. If you can't do that, I'll have Wonder Woman fly you home once we secure Superman in the Fortress."

"Hey, I'm not a kid, so don't treat me like one!" Danny shot back, insulted. Batman glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, and Danny face-palmed. "Uh, well, I'm not a little kid! I'm almost fifteen!"

"So are Batgirl and Robin," Batman replied. "And they're not in the League. Offer still stands."

Danny sighed in frustration. "Fine, I'll drop it. Just... please don't tell the others."

"I won't," Batman said. "We're here."

Danny looked up to see a large structure made up of massive crystals jutting up out of the ice and snow. The Fortress of Solitude glimmered in the night as the Aurora Borealis glowed in the sky above. "Wow," Danny said in awe.

" _That's it; the Fortress of Solitude,"_ Power Girl said over the radio. Soon, with Power Girl's instructions, the Batwing lowered Superman's cell into a chamber in the Fortress. He and Wonder Woman landed their jets outside the entrance. Batman and Danny exited the Batwing, and walked over to Power Girl and Wonder Woman.

"Follow me," Power Girl said. "The Fortress won't recognize any of you without mine or Superman's authority." She led them through a massive archway, and Wonder Woman glanced at Batman.

"Aren't you cold, Batman?" she asked.

Batman's glare deepened as they walked through the entryway. "No," he replied. In truth, he was very cold. His suit wasn't designed to withstand the arctic. Winter in Gotham? No problem. The arctic circle? That was another story. But he chose not to dwell on it.

"Don't worry," Power Girl said, smirking at Batman. "It's warmer inside." The group came up to a wall made of more crystal, and a beam of light shimmered over Power Girl and the group.

" _Kara Zor-El, recognized,"_ a synthesized voice announced in Kryptonian. _"Warning. Unauthorized Earth entities detected. Defense systems to be activated?"_

"No, they're friends," Power Girl responded. "Authorization: Alura Zor-El."

" _Understood,"_ the voice replied. The large crystal rumbled and retracted into the ground, and Power Girl led the group through the archway. The interior of the Fortress was lit in a blueish-white light and was much warmer than the outside. The walls and floors were all made from the same pristine crystals as the outside.

Before them, standing on either side of the archway, were two massive statures made of the same icy crystal. They held up their arms and held a massive crystal globe in their hands. "Whoa," Danny said. "Who are they supposed to be?"

Power Girl gazed at the statues and smiled. "Those are Superman's parents, Lara and Jor-El; my aunt and uncle."

They quickly made their way through the halls and entered a large room that looked like a massive lab. A large holographic computer sat against one wall, with a medical bed nearby. In one corner sat the large container that held Superman. Occasional thuds could be heard from inside. "I guess Superman is awake, too," Danny said.

"Don't worry," Batman said, looking around, curiously. "The cell will hold him." He sat down in front of the holographic computer out of instinct, only to realize he didn't recognize the language on the screens in front of him. "Hmm. Power Girl, would you mind?"

Power Girl nodded, and sat down at the computer, smirking at Batman. "It's our native language from Krypton," she explained. "I'll switch it to basic English." She went to work and the container was lifted by an anti gravity field and moved into a cell with red lighting. The cell was comfortably decorated with a chair and bed, as well as a bookcase. The container opened up, and Superman fell to the floor. He glared and rammed into the force field wall.

"He's not going anywhere," Power Girl said. "We held General Zod in that cell for a while before throwing his ass back into the Phantom Zone."

"What's the Phantom Zone?" Danny asked, the name catching his interest.

"It's a dimension that was used as a prison by Krypton to hold the worst criminals in the galaxy," she explained. "I've got the computer running every conceivable scan I can think of. We'll know what's wrong with him, soon. At least, I hope so."

"Good," Wonder Woman said. She looked around with a keen eye at their surroundings. "This structure is quite impressive. May we look around?"

"Well, I don't think Kal would approve, but, okay," Power Girl nodded. "I'll show you around. It can be easy to get lost if you've never been here, before."

"Hold on, Power Girl, I found a strange chunk of red rock that I suspect might be the cause of Superman's behavior," Batman asked. "Does Superman have something that can scan it for us?"

"Sure, let me see it," Power Girl held out her hand.

Batman's gaze narrowed. "That... might not be a good idea," he said. "I think it might be a mutated form of kryptonite. The last thing we need is for you to go berserk, too."

"Kelex," Power Girl called.

A small, hovering robot made of silvery-golden metal hovered from another room. "Mistress Kara, how may I assist you?" Kelex asked.

"My friend here has something," Power Girl explained, nodding to Batman. "He thinks it might be a form of Kryptonite. Can you analyze it for us?"

"Naturally," Kelex answered cheerfully. Batman removed the whole lead -lined pouch from his belt and handed it to Kelex who took the pouch and took it to another room to study.

Power Girl turned to the others and said, "So? You want the grand tour?"

"I'll stay here and monitor Superman," Batman said, sitting back down in front of the computer.

"Suit yourself," Power Girl shrugged. She leaned in close to Batman's shoulder, and whispered coyly, "Just don't get any funny ideas about hacking our computers; trust me, we'll know."

"Noted," Batman said after a moment.

Power Girl led Danny Phantom and Wonder Woman throughout the Fortress, bringing them to a massive room that looked like a combination of an alien zoo and a museum. "Wow, that's a lot of alien stuff," Danny said.

"You don't know the half of it," Power Girl said.

"How did Superman amass such a collection?" Wonder Woman asked.

Power Girl snorted. "That would take _way_ too long to explain," she answered.

Danny walked over to a small glass globe, with what looked like a miniature city in it. "Huh, never thought of Superman being the model building kind of guy," he said, leaning in close to the small sphere. It... almost look like movement inside...

"Danny, don't touch that!" Power Girl shouted.

"Okay, okay, sheesh," Danny said, backing away. "I'm sorry. What's the big deal, anyway?"

"The big deal?" Power Girl repeated. "The big deal is that there are people living in there!"

Danny and Wonder Woman exchanged a confused glance. "Uh... what?" Danny asked.

Power Girl sighed. "That's no model kit," she said. "It's an actual city from Krypton. The city of Kandor. I was born there. It was shrunken."

"You were born in a tiny city?" Danny asked in disbelief. "How?"

Power Girl face-palmed. "No!" she said. "Kandor was attacked and shrunken by Brainiac a few days before Krypton exploded. I was lucky enough for my parents to evacuate us just before Brainiac attacked."

"Was Brainiac responsible for Krypton's destruction?" Wonder Woman asked.

Power Girl shook her head. "No, Krypton's military was able to drive Brainiac away, but not before he took Kandor, and everyone inside. He wasn't the cause of Kryoton's destruction, though. Anyway, after Superman fought Brainiac for the first time, he managed to rescue Kandor from him, and brought them here."

"So, there are still Kryptonians in there," Wonder Woman said sadly. "It must be a difficult existence for them."

"Not as bad as you might think," Power Girl said. "They can grow their own food, and it's a massive city; larger than any on Earth. But we can't make them normal size again without killing them. Brainiac kept them shrunken for too long."

"Can they see us?" Danny asked.

"Nope," Power Girl shook her head. "The device they're in acts as it's own sky and atmosphere. To them, it's a bright, sunny day. Or, it might be night right now. I'm not sure. And, of course, they're well aware what's happened to them. I'm just glad they're safe. They're constantly monitored by the Fortress to make sure they're okay. I hope that one day, we can find a way to free them."

"I'm certain you will," Wonder Woman said.

Power Girl nodded, sadly. "Anyway, let's head back to the lab," she sighed. The group made their way back to the lab, where Batman remained seated at the console. "Anything?" Power Girl asked.

"I was about to alert you," Batman said, rising from the chair. "The scans show heightened activity in the areas of Superman's brain that regulate emotion. Specifically the areas that control anger. It's as if his emotional control was shut off."

"So he truly was unable to control himself," Wonder Woman surmised.

"We all have had moments where we lose control of ourselves when we get mad," Batman said. "But a normal person will usually regain control quickly. Superman wasn't able to. The rage just kept building in him. So, no, he wasn't in control of himself."

"What can we do?" Danny asked.

"The only thing we can do is wait," Batman said. "The scans show his mind is starting to heal. Now we just need to find out what caused this in the first place."

"I believe I can help on that front," Kelex announced, entering the room. The robot held the pouch in his hand that contained the red rock. "All scans confirm that this is indeed a new form of Kryptonite. It's been heavily irradiated, more so than usual. It's been modified through means that qualify it as unnatural."

"Meaning someone altered it themselves," Batman said, his suspicions confirmed.

"Indeed," Kelex said. "In a very crude manner, I might add. Likely, whoever has done this did so without knowing what the end results would be."

"They were experimenting on it," Danny said. "Now, which bald fruitloop do we know of that would be messing with kryptonite?"

"Lex Luthor," Power Girl sneered. She clenched her fists in anger. "When I get my hands on that bald, slimy little-"

"We'll deal with Luthor later," Diana said, placing a hand on Power Girl's shoulder. "Right now we need to help Superman."

"Every scan indicates that the only thing to be done is to wait until it burns out of his system," Kelex said. "We have no known treatment for this type of affliction."

"Oh, great," Danny said. "Any idea how long that's gonna take?"

"My best estimates show that twelve hours from the moment Master Kal was subjected to the red kryptonite should suffice," Kelex responded. The JLA members glanced at one another. They weren't certain how long Superman had been under the red kryptonite's influence. It might be a while...

* * *

Superman slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a red blur. He felt numb. He groaned, and rubbed his head. His powers were gone. But that didn't worry him; he no longer felt the rage from before. His vision cleared, and he realized he was lying on a bed with red sun lamps beating down on him. Sitting up, he turned his head to see Batman, Power Girl, Wonder Woman and Danny Phantom standing across from him, with concerned looks on their faces. Well, except for Batman, of course.

"Ugh, wha- I, I- everyone, I'm so sorry," he stammered.

"Don't be," Batman said. "You weren't yourself."

"What happened?" Superman asked.

"Lex Luthor happened," Power Girl said, anger in her voice at the bald lunatic. "He somehow altered a piece of kryptonite that caused a reaction in your brain chemistry, rather than the usual effects kryptonite causes on us."

"Yeah, dude," Danny smirked. "You turned into a big rage machine, and we had to stop you."

"Not without difficulty," Diana added. "You broke Green Lantern's arm."

"Once you were subdued, we brought you hear to recover," Batman said. "You passed out after trying to punch your way out of the cell. We kept you under observation until the effects of the red kryptonite left your system and then moved you into your regeneration bed. Power Girl changed the lighting to red sun lamps, just in case."

"I remember," Superman said, the memories of what happened returning to him, although some of it was a little hazy. "I still want to apologize to you all, but I also should thank you. I could have killed you all. Heck, I could've destroyed Metropolis."

"Yeah, but on the bright side, Kelex thinks you might be immune to the effects of red kryptonite, now," Power Girl said. "At least for now."

"At least there's some good news," Superman sighed. Power Girl helped him stand up, after shutting off the red sun lamps. "Now, we need to take care of Luthor."

"We can worry about Luthor later," Batman said. "I think we should all head home and get some rest."

"You're right," Superman said, his expression downcast. "I should get back to Lois. I have a lot of work ahead of me, trying to get back into Metropolis' good graces after this."

"Don't sweat it, big guy," Danny shrugged. "After you save a couple cats out of trees and stop the occasional baddie, things will go back to normal."

Superman chuckled at that. "Talking from experience, Danny?"

Danny Phantom smirked, and shrugged. "Maybe."

* * *

A few days later, the Justice League held a press conference in Metropolis, where Superman delivered a public apology for the damage he had caused, and the lives he had endangered.

 _"We, the members of the Justice League, and the superhuman and alien community at large that call this world home, must never lose sight of the fact that upon this Earth, we are titans,"_ Superman said. _"And such power must be used wisely and for the better good. And, yes, it's true that recently, I was exposed to a new form of kryptonite that caused me to lose control. We are not without our limits, nor our dangers. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me to regain all of your trust. I'm under no illusion that such a trust is earned over night. If it weren't for the other members of the Justice League, things could have ended far more tragically. "_

In his office, Lex Luthor watched in disgust. The lights were low in the lush office, and he sat alone watching the press confrence. He growled in anger at what he was seeing, and he hurled his remote at the large screen, cracking it. "Damn!" he shouted. "All that work, all that money thrown into some way to kill or disgrace that filthy alien; to turn the public against him, and they just forgive him like nothing happened! All because those other costumed freaks had to get involved!"

"Ah, yes, I know that anger," came a low voice from a shadowed corner of the room, startling Lex.

"Who's there?!" Lex demanded, rising from his chair. "Show yourself!"

"Temper, temper," the voice mocked, slightly. Stepping out of the shadow was a tall, elegant man in an expensive black suit. The man had a sleek silver ponytail, and a matching goatee. He had a dark look in his eyes, and an even darker smirk on his lips. "You should really find a better way to channel that anger, Mr Luthor. It'll be the death of you."

"Wha-? Vlad Masters?" Luthor exclaimed, recognizing the tall billionaire. Vlad Masters was one of the wealthiest men in America, and his and Luthor's companies had business dealings in past. "What the hell are you doing in my office? How did you get past security?"

"Take it easy, my friend," Vlad chided. "I have a business proposition for you. You and I have a mutual dislike for those fools in capes."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lex replied. "You're a lunatic, Masters, for breaking in here. I'm calling security."

"Please, hear me out," Vlad said, holding his hands up, walking over to Lex's desk. "I know all about your... less than legal operations; the bribes, the hostile takeovers, the illegal gun shipments in the harbor of Metroplois. I know all about your secret lab in the basement below this very building. I know full well you hate Superman. I, myself, despise Danny Phantom. The young ghost dealt the blow that took Superman down, the other day. We have mutual thorns in our sides."

Lex was taken aback. He underestimated Vlad. He heard how ruthless Vlad could be in a boardroom, and how intelligent he was. But this earned a new level of respect from Luthor. "You have my attention," Lex said, glaring knives at Vlad. "What do you want?"

"I want to put a team together," Vlad announced. "And you're next on my list of candidates."

"A team?" Lex asked. "What do you mean by that? And why do you hate Danny Phantom? What's he done to you?"

Vlad's expression darkened. "You want an answer? Very well." Two black rings ran across Vlad's body, and his form changed significantly. His suit was gone, replaced by white clothing with a long, white flowing cape with red lining. His skin was bluish-green, and his eyes were solid red. He also had fangs and his hair was jet black.

"Allow me to formally introduce myself," Vlad said, his voice carrying a distinctive echo. "My name is Vlad Plasmius. And I want to destroy the Justice League!"

Lex was shocked by the change, and it took a great deal to surprise him. "I'm listening," he said, regaining his composure. "You said I was your next candidate? Who was the first?"

Plasmius grinned. "I'll let him tell you, himself," he said.

A storm of red lightning suddenly flew throughout the office at incredible speed, leaving a vivid streak of red light in the air. It sped around Lex and Vlad, before coming to a stop next to Vlad. Standing before Lex was a man in a yellow outfit with black and red trim that covered him from head to toe. The man's eyes glowed red, and he seemed to be vibrating at high speed.

"Mr Luthor," the man in yellow greeted Lex, nodding his head. His voice had a distinctive reverberating sound to it, matching his vibrating visage. "I think the three of us could learn a lot from each other."

"Just who are you supposed to be?" Lex asked. "You look like the Flash, only yellow."

The man in yellow's eyes glowed an even brighter shade of red in anger at the comparison to the Flash."Oh, I'm not like the Flash, at all," the man in yellow replied. "In fact, you could call me the Reverse." He stopped vibrating, and pulled off his cowl, revealing a blonde haired man. "My name is Eobard Thawne. We have a lot to discuss."


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: All rights go to DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing. This story is for fun; not money or profit of any kind.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17: A New Ally**

 _'Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said._

 _'Art sure no craven. Ghastly grim, and ancient raven_

 _Wandering from the nightly shore- Tell me, what thy_

 _Lordly name is on the night's plutonian shore!'_

 _Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'_

 _-Excerpt from Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven'_

* * *

Rain was pouring in Amity Park, and Danny Phantom was flying across the city, wet and irritated. He was sleeping soundly, when his ghost sense awoke him. Now, he was flying in the rain, searching for a ghost he couldn't find! _'If it's Technus or Skulker again, I swear, I'll-'_ Danny's thoughts were cut short by a blast of ecto-energy, which sent him crashing into the park below!

Danny landed with a thud, and when he rose from the crater, he saw Walker standing in front of him, flanked by two of his guards. "Well, well, punk," Walker said. "Missed me, did ya?"

"Walker," Danny Phantom spat. "What are you doing back here, again? No, no, let me guess! I've broken one of your dumb rules, again!"

"Bingo, punk," Walker said, pulling a large book from his coat pocket. Thumbing through it, he found the page he was looking for. "Chapter 10, paragraph 6, sub-paragraph 5: 'Bringing multiple super-powered beings from the real world into the Ghost Zone is _strictly_ prohibited.' When Undergrowth attacked, you brought your some of your fellow Justice League members into the Ghost Zone."

"Are you kidding?!" Danny shouted. "I was almost frozen; I needed their help!" When Undergrowth attacked Amity Park, the Justice League intervened. Danny's ice powers manifested and Power Girl, Flash and Martian Manhunter took Danny to the realm of the Far Frozen for help, at Danny's request.

"No excuses," Walker said, his skull-like face scowled. "The rules are unyielding."

"You totally just made that up," Danny huffed.

"You can't prove that," Walker smirked. "My prison, my rules."

"My fist, your face!" Danny yelled, and blasted towards Walker. His fist was glowing with ghost energy, and he landed a big uppercut to Walker's jaw. Walker flew and collided with a tree. Danny was about to continue his attack, when one of Walker's henchmen clubbed Danny in the back with an electrified baton. The other slapped a dampening collar on Danny's neck, which kept him in ghost form, but prevented him from using his powers.

"Hey, what gives?" Danny exclaimed.

Walker rose to his feet, and rubbed his jaw. Callously spitting out a tooth, he grinned. "I admit, I'm a little disappointed," he said smugly. "But I ain't complaining." He walked up to Danny, who was being held by the guards, and gave him a stiff backhand across the face. "Let's go. Your cell is waiting."

As they began to drag Danny away, a blast of purple and black energy struck the two guards! "What the-?" Walker spun around, and he found himself floating in the air, just not under his own power. Walker was sent careening into his guards, and they landed with a thud. Danny looked up to see a huge black and purple bird made of pure energy hovering. The visage shrieked and dive bombed Walker and his two henchmen, all three of whom had shocked expressions on their faces. The energy being slammed into them, and caused a small explosion. Walker and his two guards were battered and unconscious, and Danny took the opportunity to quickly suck them into the Fenton Thermos.

"What the heck was that?" Danny wondered aloud as he scanned the area. He reached up to try and remove the collar that was around his neck, which had begun to chafe. "Ugh, this thing is annoying!" Suddenly, a purple energy surrounded the collar, and it unlatched and fell to the ground. With the collar gone, his power once more surged through him.

Danny quickly looked around and noticed a figure in the shadows, obscured by the darkness of the night and the rain. All Danny could see was the figures hand was glowing in the same purple energy as before, and they were wearing a long hooded cloak that was such a dark shade of purple, it was almost black. Danny couldn't see the figure's face as it was shrouded in the shadow cast by their hood.

"Hey, who are you?" Danny called. This person wasn't a ghost, but they definitely had a strange power coming from them.

After a moment, the figure responded in a quiet, feminine voice, "I'm no one." A purple aura surrounded them, and they took off flying in the air.

"Hey! Come back!" Danny yelled. He sprouted his ghostly tail and took off after them, and they began to soar through the sky. They were fast, but so was Danny. He didn't get the sense they were a criminal; they weren't in a mad panic to escape. Whoever they were, they seemed to be leading him on.

"I just want to talk to you," Danny yelled. The figure offered no response, and Danny frowned. _'Okay, the silent type, huh?'_ he thought to himself. Their billowing cloak made it difficult to see anything about them, which frustrated Danny more so. It made them more of a mystery, and potentially more of a threat if they were concealing a weapon-

 _'Whoa,'_ Danny stopped his thoughts. _'I'm starting to think like Batman. No way am I going to start being all paranoid like he is!'_

The pair zoomed throughout the city, lit up by the lights. As they darted over the rooftops, Danny was getting the impression this being was toying with him. As they rounded yet another corner, they came up to a dead end; a large skyscraper loomed in front of them. _'Ha, gotcha now,'_ Danny thought smugly. But they didn't stop; they headed straight towards the side of the building! Just as the cloaked figure was about to collide with the building, a circular glowing portal appeared, allowing them to fly straight through!

Danny blinked and came to a stop. "What the-?" he muttered. "Phasing, huh? Nice trick. But nothing new to me!" He turned intangible, and flew through the building and found the hooded figure waiting ahead.

"All right, enough games!" huffed Danny, sick of the little game. He crossed his arms and glared at the cloaked figure. "If I really wanted to, I could catch you without breaking a sweat, you know!"

The figure gave no reply, and simply flew straight up the side of another skyscraper. Danny rolled his eyes and sighed in frustration as he gave chase once more. They landed on the edge of the building, which was surrounded by statues. Danny landed near the being, but not too close. He didn't want to take any chances and scare them off.

"Seriously, who are you?" Danny demanded. "And, uh, thanks, by the way. For helping me with Walker and his goon squad."

The person shrugged slightly without turning to face him. Danny noticed she was about his height, just slightly shorter. "You're welcome," she answered, her voice just slightly above a whisper over the gentle rain."Those guys seemed like tools."

Danny Phantom chuckled at that. "Yeah, they totally are," he said. "But who are you? I feel like a busted record asking that!"

Again, the girl shrugged. "I told you," she said, sounding slightly irritated. "I'm no one."

"Everybody is somebody," Danny said. "And yes, I know that sounds lame. But it's kinda true. So, what's your name? And why are you in Amity Park? I've never noticed you around, before."

The girl turned to look at him, and Danny could only see her dark blue eyes peering out from her hood, which came down to a sharp point above her nose. Sighing, she answered grudgingly. "My name is Raven," she said. "And you're right, I'm not from around here. But I was drawn here. This city is overflowing with supernatural and paranormal energies. Satisfied?"

"Uh, I guess so," Danny said, cocking an eyebrow.

Raven continued to stare at Danny without blinking, her dark, emotionless frown never wavering and holding Danny's gaze like a trance. "Listen, I need to get going," she said abruptly, turning to leave.

"Uh, hey, wait," Danny said.

"What?" she asked.

"Something tells me there's more to your story," he replied. "Why else are you here?"

Raven pondered answering for a moment. She closed her eyes, and beneath her hood, her expression grew full of pain and sorrow. Danny didn't see this, as he couldn't see under her hood. "I know you're in the Justice League," she answered. "I might need your help, someday. I just needed to see you first hand; to know you're not really a fraud."

Before Danny could answer, Raven turned her back on him and created a large glowing portal made of purple energy and quickly stepped through, startling Danny as it closed behind her. "Whoa, that was freaky," he said out loud. "Wait until Sam and Tucker get a load of this!" Honestly, though, Danny's life was filled with such weirdness that nothing new surprised him for very long.

Yawning, Danny glanced at his watch and yelped when he saw what time it was. "Oh, crud!" he said in dismay. "I need to get some sleep!" Danny leaped off the building and headed for home. He would throw Walker and his goon squad back into the Ghost Zone in the morning. Let them suffer through the rest of the night in the Fenton Thermos. _'That'll teach them!'_ he grinned at the thought.

He phased through the roof of his home, and yawned once more as he shifted back into his human form and collapsed on his bed. Tomorrow was a big day. The whole League was meeting for the first time at the nearly finished Hall of Justice!

Construction of the Hall was finished far faster with the help of Superman, Green Lantern Hal Jordan and the Flash assisting in their spare time. Martian Manhunter had also been personally overseeing it's construction with the plans set forth by Green Lantern John Stewart, who was an architect. He had been hired by Batman to help with it's design.

While Danny was excited to see it, he also was thinking of the mysterious Raven. What was she really here for? And what did she mean when she said she might need his help, someday? She had a spooky vibe about her. He would see if Sam could dig anything up on her. But those questions could wait, as Danny drifted back into a pleasant sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.**

 **(I had to re-upload this chapter because of my internet glitching on my end)**

 **I'm sorry it's been so long! But, I needed a break from writing Danny Phantom stories. I was really burned out. Also, I edited the previous chapters and cleaned them up, so enjoy! (Also, sorry if my writing is a bit rusty!)**

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Hall of Justice**

Danny awoke with a yawn and stretched his arms. He quickly showered and brushed his teeth, knowing that today was a big day. The League was meeting for the first time at the newly finished Hall of Justice! As he finished getting dressed, his League communicator chirped from it's spot on the table beside his bed. "Talk to me," Danny answered cheerfully.

" _Phantom, this is Batman,"_ came the reply. _"I need your help with an experiment."_

"Uh, what kind of experiment?" Danny said, somewhat bewildered by Batman asking for help.

" _Don't worry,"_ Batman said. _"It has to do with the Hall of Justice. I just need you to go outside and let me know when you're ready."_

Danny noticed that Batman put emphasis on the word 'ready', meaning that Danny needed to be in his ghost form. Danny frowned. He just couldn't get used to the fact that Batman knew his secret identity. "Just a second," he replied.

Two rings of energy surrounded his torso and moved along his form to replace his human form with that of Danny Phantom. Flying out his window and landing on the sidewalk outside, he said, "All right, I'm all set, I guess. What now?"

" _Just stand still,"_ came the reply. Danny frowned as he crossed his arms. For a moment, nothing happened. He was used to not knowing what Batman was thinking, so he wasn't too surprised by this, but still, this was odd, even for the Dark Knight.

Suddenly, a pure white light, accompanied by an odd buzzing noise surrounded the young half ghost, and as soon as it had appeared, it vanished. Blinking his eyes, Danny Phantom was instantly aware he was no longer standing outside his house, but inside a large room he didn't recognize.

"Good, it worked," the voice of Batman came from behind Phantom, causing him to spin around. He saw the other members of the League were there, as well. Danny was standing on a large glowing white elevated platform surrounded by three large pylons.

"What just happened?" Danny Phantom asked, still unsure of what just happened.

"Teleportation device," Batman said. "We'd already tested it on everyone else, and I needed to make sure it worked on ghosts."

Danny blinked at that. "Teleportation device? Wha- _ARE YOU CRAZY?!"_ he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "You wanted to test a teleporter on me without even telling me?! Did you even know if it would work on me?"

"Pretty sure," Batman replied, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Danny, do you honestly think we would test something like this on each other without being certain it would work properly?" Superman asked incredulously.

"Well, I don't know," Danny shrugged as he floated off the platform. "I just mean, how would I know if that thing didn't, like, scramble my insides, or something?"

"Well, you're here in one piece, right?" Power Girl asked. "You would know if something was wrong before anyone else."

"It worked on all of us, and we're just fine," Green Lantern Hal Jordan pointed out. "Besides, you're a ghost. You're already dead, so what would be the worst that could happen?" Wonder Woman elbowed Lantern in the side and shot him a glare for his bluntness.

"Since we're all here, now, we may as well begin the tour of the Hall right here," Superman said, gesturing to the platform Danny just floated down from. "As you all are now aware, we can use this teleportation platform to get us anywhere on the planet in a heartbeat in an emergency."

Batman then explained that it was powered by a modified boom-tube generator that had been left behind when Darkseid, a being of extraordinary power, had been defeated by Superman and Power Girl. Boom-tubes were worm hole generators, which was how Darkseid was able to move throughout the universe.

The boom-tube box that Superman had recovered was severely damaged, and Superman was confidant that it no longer had the range to reach Darkseid on his world of Apokolips, so he would not be able to tap into it to get back. It did, however possess the range to teleport the members of the League anywhere on Earth.

In the same, massive room there were numerous wall mounted terminals and screens. Superman called it the Monitor Womb, and it was the central hub for their work, allowing them to monitor developments across the globe.

Batman and Superman told the others that J'onn, the Martian Manhunter, had volunteered to remain in the Hall full time, but other members would take shifts on monitor duty as well. Having one or several members at the Hall would be invaluable for backup and tactical assistance. Adjacent to the Monitor Womb was a small room with a circular table with the JLA logo emblazoned on it sat surrounded by chairs; one for each founding member.

The large structure was a sight to behold. The floors were a dark blueish marble with the occasional golden accent. The walls were a mixture of white metal and marble-like stone, but make no mistake; the interior of the walls were reinforced with traces of the same type of crystal that made up Superman's Fortress of Solitude, which added extra durability.

The Hall itself had been built by the League with the help of Green Lantern John Stewart, who was an architect in his spare time, and construction of the Hall was completed even sooner with the help of the Flash and Superman. The Hall had quarters for each member of the League, which they could decorate however they pleased.

Every room and level to the building had purpose. Everything from training and exercise equipment specially designed for the League to train with, to labs and vaults where dangerous tech and the occasional prisoner too dangerous for any normal prison to hold. Danny Phantom wondered if he should build a second Ghost Portal in one of the labs, albeit one that _actually_ worked properly. It was something to keep in mind.

"Here I thought S.T.A.R. Labs was the most advanced facility in the world," Flash whistled. He was blown away by the Hall. He wondered who was paying for all of this. He doubted even Oliver Queen could pay for something like this.

Hawkman shrugged. "It's nothing compared to Thanagar," he said gruffly.

Batman went on to explain the defenses of the Hall, as well as the hanger, which could store Wonder Woman's jet, as well as any vehicle the League may need. Hal Jordan informed everyone that the Hall could also function as a way-station for other members of the Green Lantern Corps. Everyone agreed that was a good idea, and the idea of having a few other Green Lanterns bolstering their ranks would be of benefit.

Danny wondered how ghost-proofed the Hall was, but that was something that could be tested later. It almost felt as though he was having an out-of-body experience; he still couldn't believe he was here. As much as he had been through with the other members, actually having a base for the team brought it to a whole new level.

* * *

A few weeks later, in the middle of the night, Martian Manhunter was standing before the multitude of screens. The rest of the League had left the Hall, save for himself, Wonder Woman and Hal Jordan, both of whom were presently asleep in their respective quarters. J'onn, however, did not need much sleep, and he quite enjoyed the solitude, as well as his new responsibilities.

In the few weeks since their first meeting at the newly completed Hall, the League had grown more effective. The teleporter, in particular, had made their lives that much easier, J'onn reflected. With it, they-

His musings were interrupted when he suddenly sensed another presence in the Hall.

He hadn't been aware of any change in plans for the other League members, and they were they only other people who had access to the Hall. J'onn narrowed his telepathic senses on this new presence. He was unable to identify them properly, as their thoughts were... fast. This other person's mind was moving at an accelerated rate, far too fast for even him to decipher.

His hands moving quickly, he searched the security feeds on the monitor in front of him. His orange eyes widened as he saw a streak of red lightning moving almost faster than the eye could see running throughout the hallways! He wasted no time in turning intangible and headed to confront the intruder.

* * *

Deep in the Hall, the Reverse Flash was on the hunt. He soon found his target; the Hall's main database hub. The small room was darkened, and neatly tucked away in the lowest level of the structure. Wasting no time, the speedster went to work by plugging a small device into a port on the main terminal and began typing at high speeds.

"Step away from the terminal, please," a voice came from behind Reverse Flash, causing him to spin around to come face to face with Martian Manhunter. The Reverse Flash smirked, his eyes glowing red. In the blink of an eye, he struck the Martian telepath with a shoulder tackle at super speed, sending J'onn soaring into the wall and falling to the floor.

"If you insist, Mr. Dimes," Reverse Flash said, his voice vibrating dangerously.

A look of surprise crossed J'onn's normally stoic face as he rose to his feet. Charley Dimes was one of his aliases, and one he hadn't used in quite some time. "How do you know that name?" he asked warily.

The Reverse Flash scowled and lashed out with his vicious speed, striking J'onn with several rapid punches to the mid section, once more causing the Martian Manhunter to fall to one knee. "Oh, we've met before, you and I," the Reverse Flash replied as J'onn clutched his side. "Several times, as a matter of fact. Fortunately for you, I don't have time to settle old scores, tonight."

The villain quickly ran back to the terminal he had accessed and grabbed the device he had plugged into it. "Give my regards to Barry Allen," he said to J'onn. In a streak of red lightning, the Reverse Flash sped throughout the maze of hallways, leaving J'onn to struggle to his feet.

The Reverse Flash entered the main entrance of the Hall, and sped for the door, only to nearly run head long into a wall of green light. Stopping in his tracks, the vibrating villain stared at the energy wall in irritation.

"Sorry, pal, but visiting hours are between nine and five," Green Lantern quipped, floating down behind Reverse Flash, his power ring glowing brightly. Wonder Woman was also standing beside him. J'onn had awoken them telepathically after being attacked by the speedster.

"We do not take kindly to intruders, here," Wonder Woman added.

Reverse Flash's eyes glowed bright red as he scowled at the two, his visage vibrating harshly. "As if either of you could stop me," he hissed. "I could kill you both in the blink of an eye, if I wanted to."

"Take your shot, speedy," Lantern challenged, raising his glowing ring.

"Why are you here?" Wonder Woman demanded, unsheathing her sword.

Reverse Flash smirked. "You couldn't even to begin to comprehend," he replied.

"He was in the central database," Martian Manhunter said as he floated through the floor. He had fully recovered from the Reverse Flash's attack and now stood beside his allies.

The villain, however, no longer had the patience for words. He raised his hand which held a small trigger-like switch. He pressed the button on the device, and red lights and an emergency siren blared throughout the Hall, as it's defense systems came on line. From the ceiling and walls, numerous laser turrets appeared, and small drone-like robots hovered to life, aiming their weapons at the three heroes.

" _ **Warning, intruders detected,"**_ a computerized voice blared throughout the Hall. _**"Repeat, intruders detected."**_

"That doesn't sound good," Lantern said.

"He's tampered with our defense systems," J'onn shouted over the siren, glaring at the Reverse Flash.

"More like _improved_ them," Reverse Flash said, smugly.

" _ **Multiple hostiles detected,"**_ the alert continued. _ **"Activating defense protocol Alpha Five Epsilon."**_

The three League members were immediately on the defensive, as the turrets and robots opened fire on them. Green Lantern reacted out of instinct, and surrounded the three of them inside a sphere of glowing light. Unfortunately, in doing so, he lost his focus on the force field that was blocking the entrance and the three watched as the Reverse Flash sped away in a streak of red lightning as the wall of green light fell.

"Damn, my bad!" Lantern cursed through gritted teeth.

"You let him escape," Wonder Woman glared at Hal.

"Well, forgive me for being surprised by our own home turning on us, princess," he retorted. His full attention was on keeping the barrier around them up and stable under the constant bombardment of fire raining down on them from every direction.

Suddenly, the Hall went quiet, as the hail of lasers and bullets ended, and the sirens ceased. The turrets retracted and the hovering robots returned to their place of origin. After such noise, the sudden silence was, itself, deafening. The three heroes were left confused by the sudden cease fire. "Uh, whatever you did, J'onn, great job," Lantern commented, slowly lowering the shield around them.

"I did nothing," the Martian replied.

"But _I_ did," came Batman's voice, from behind them. Walking out of the shadows, the Dark Knight glared at the three members of the League. "I managed to deactivate the defense systems. I came as soon as I was alerted that the Hall's defenses had been triggered. It seems I can't leave any of you unsupervised, can I?"

"They are not to blame, Batman," J'onn said sadly. "I was foolish enough to believe I could stop the intruder alone. I only alerted Green Lantern and Wonder Woman after I realized otherwise. I should have placed the Hall on alert the moment I sensed an intruder."

"If you had, he would have escaped long before we could have confronted him," Diana pointed out.

"What happened?" Batman asked.

"The Hall was infiltrated by a speedster," Green Lantern replied. "And it wasn't the Flash."

* * *

Soon, Batman had summoned the Flash and the rest of the League back to the Hall. Everyone was watching the recordings of the intruder, which had been slowed down so they could actually see the speedster. Even in slow motion, he was still a yellow blur. Flash sighed deeply. "Eobard Thawne," he said quietly.

"Who?" Superman asked.

"He's a speedster from the future," Flash replied. "The Reverse Flash."

"But you told me that you took him down a ways back," Green Lantern asked.

"I did, a couple of times," Flash shrugged.

"Wait, he's from the future?" Danny Phantom asked, surprised. He had experienced time travel first hand, but he had no idea speedsters could travel through time. _'Oh, great_ ,'he thought. _'Another evil nut from the future.'_

"That's right," Flash said. "It's a long story, but he's always been obsessed with destroying me."

"But what could he have been after from our database?" Diana asked.

"That's what I'm trying to decipher," Batman said. He was currently sitting at a monitor, trying to find what their intruder was looking for. "But whatever kind of device he used left no trace. He must be using some kind of tech from the future that I'm not familiar with. Other than altering our defense systems, which itself was only used as a means to distract you so he could escape, I can't find anything."

"He did say one thing of interest," J'onn said. All eyes turned to him. "He told me to give Barry Allen his regards." Green Lantern and Flash exchanged a glance at that. Flash then noticed Batman giving him a dark, unreadable stare, which gave the Flash goosebumps under his red suit.

"Who's Barry Allen?" Power Girl asked.

The Flash sighed once more. He shook his head, as though wrestling with something in his mind. "I'm Barry Allen," he said, surprising the other JLA members. Pulling down his red cowl, Barry revealed his face and brown hair to everyone. "Like I said, Thawne and I have been at this for a long time. This is just another way for him to lash out at me."

Danny stared in surprise at Flash, or rather, Barry Allen. He certainly didn't seem too freaked out at the reality of the other members of the Justice League knowing his identity. _'Wow, to be unmasked by your arch enemy,'_ he thought. _'That's rough.'_ He wondered how he'd react if everyone on the League found out he wasn't really dead, but only a kid with ghost powers. After all, despite his boyish looks, Barry Allen was an adult, not a teenager.

"I'm sure this isn't the last we've seen of Reverse Flash," Batman said, returning everyone's focus back to the enemy.

"I agree," Superman said. "This wasn't a random or isolated incident, this was planned out. He knew how and when to hit us when we were least expecting it and least prepared."

"We need to redouble our efforts on finding out what he's up to," Batman said. "And we can't let there be a repeat of what happened tonight. I assume we can count on your help tracking him down, Flash?"

"Absolutely," Barry said. He scowled in anger as he looked at the recording of the man who murdered his mother. "He'll be back. But next time, we'll be ready."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, in Amity Park**_

In the posh mansion of Vlad Masters, both he and Lex Luthor were standing in front of a massive fire place. The mansion of Vlad Masters was elegant, massive, and of the utmost class. It bespoke of money, more specifically, _greed_.

"I must say, Vlad," Lex said, somewhat grudgingly. "You certainly know how to run a tight ship. Being mayor of a big city is no easy task by itself, let alone also being in charge of one of the biggest business firms in the country on top of it."

"Well, Amity Park is no Metropolis, but it does have it's charms," Vlad replied.

"One would think with your wealth, you'd have bigger ambitions than being mayor of a small city," Lex commented.

"True, but every empire starts somewhere," Vlad chuckled darkly. He certainly did have bigger ambitions. And with the Justice League out of the way...

"Speaking of wealth, I admire your taste in real estate," Lex said, gazing out the window. Polter Heights, a rich suburb of Amity Park was a true hidden gem, and Vlad had purchased it all for himself. His mansion now sat alone in the sprawling area, surrounded by lush gardens, beautiful greenery and statues.

"Also, I must say that was a bold move on your part, revealing your identity to a man you barely know," Lex said, turning to face Vlad, who was sitting in a large elegant chair, which was more like a throne for a king.

Taking a sip from his wine glass, Vlad smirked. "Because we have what the League does not possess," Vlad replied, rising from his seat to his full height. "A lack of secret identities. No matter what they claim, there will always be that element of mistrust among the League, so long as they do not know one another's real names. Naturally, one or two of them may have already blurted their names out, but for someone like Batman, that is a secret they would rather take to the grave."

Lex snorted at that. "Is that even an issue?" he questioned. "Their a bunch of do-gooders; as long as they fight for what they believe to be the greater good, who each other are when they're not wearing tights won't matter to them."

"Perhaps not," Vlad conceded. "None the less, it does make our work that much easier, doesn't it? After all, it's a bit harder to stab each other in the back when we're on a level playing field. Less distractions."

"Is that what you were concerned about?" Lex chuckled. "You're unbelievable! You gave up your biggest piece on the board so we could be on even footing?"

"In chess, one must sometimes sacrifice a bigger piece to win the game," Vlad countered. "After all, we're playing for the same team, aren't we?"

"I suppose you're right," Lex shrugged. "Speaking of our 'team', I wonder why our fleet-footed ally asked to meet here, anyway."

As if on cue, a streak of red lightning blazed into the room, signaling the arrival of the Reverse Flash. Removing his yellow cowl, Eobard Thawne gave a grin. "Thank you for your patience, gentlemen," he said. "I know I'm late, but, ah, well. You know, traffic. As much of a burden now as it will be a century from now."

"What was so urgent you had me fly all the way out to Amity Park in the middle of the night, Thawne?" Lex demanded.

Thawne answered by holding up a small device. "I come baring gifts," he replied. "This drive contains a portion of the Justice League's database. It's a tad less then what I'd hoped for; I wasn't able to get everything because of that damned Martian."

"Get out of here," Lex scoffed. "How would you have gotten past their security?"

Thawne rolled his eyes. "Oh, please," he said. "The Hall of Justice is a museum in my time. I must have studied it's layout dozens of times as a kid. That being said, they won't fall for that a second time. They'll have prepared for a speedster, next time."

He handed the device to Vlad, and said, "A little tech from my time. It won't leave a trace in their systems, meaning they have no idea what I took."

"Excellent work," Vlad grinned. He admired sleek work. He studied the small electronic device in his hand, practically salivating at the prospect of what might be on the drive. "Even with what you took, it'll give us the edge we need."

"What exactly did you manage to steal from them?" Lex asked.

"A complete list of the League's foes; both in custody and on the loose," Thawne smirked. "We'll need an army to win this war."

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed this! As I said, I was really burned out on writing Danny Phantom stories. I did, however, write a Flash story you guys can check out called "The Flash: Lightning Collision"! It's a stand alone story not related to this one, so it's different from what I usually write.**

 **I really wanted the JLA to finally have the Hall of Justice HQ, so sorry if it seemed like I glossed over the tour. Expect to see more familiar villainous faces in the coming chapters, and next chapter will be my take on a Danny Phantom episode, but I will make it my own so it fits in with the JLA. No spoilers! It's one of my favorite episodes!**

 **Also, for those wondering, yes, Sam and Tucker will appear in future chapters; I've got a specific plan in mind.**

 **Until then, a big thanks to everyone who read my stories and leaves their thoughts! You guys rock!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: All rights go to DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.**

 **Yikes, this was actually a nightmare to write for me! I based it after the episode, "Boxed Up Fury", and I found it very hard to fit other characters into it. As such, sorry for any errors! I did my best, so I hope you like it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Pandora's Box**

Wonder Woman was standing in the Monitor Womb of the Hall of Justice. She had volunteered to take the next shift on monitor duty. After the incident with the Reverse Flash invading the Hall, Batman was securing the base against any future speedster attacks with some unique help.

"Uh-huh, yeah, that was bad-ass!" The excited shout of a young man came from the teleporter pad. Cisco Ramon stepped off the pad alongside Barry Allen, aka the Flash. The young tech genius from Central City gazed around in wonder at the Hall, admiring the technological expertise that went into every part of the League. "Oh. My. God. This is _in-credible_!"

"I know, right?" Flash grinned at his friend. "It's pretty sweet!"

"Barry, who is this?" Diana asked the young speedster as she stepped out of the Monitor Womb. Barry's identity had been outed by the Reverse Flash during his attack on the Hall. Flash insisted to the others he didn't mind them calling him by his name, so long as it wasn't in public or around other villains.

Flash glanced at Cisco who was staring wide-eyed and mouth agape as the Princess of Themyscira walked up to them. "Yeah, this is Cisco Ramon," Barry said. "He helps me out in Central City; he's a tech genius. He can help us with our speedster problem. Cisco, this is Wonder Woman."

Barry nudged Cisco in the ribs, snapping him out of his daze. "Uh- Yes- Yeah, that's me, Cisco," the long haired engineer stammered, shaking his head. He stepped forward and shook hands with Wonder Woman. "And let me just say: You are the _bomb_!"

Diana tilted her head; Cisco's compliment going over her head. "I assure you, I'm no bomb," she said, frowning.

Barry laughed out loud at that "It's an expression," he chuckled. "He means he thinks you're awesome."

Wonder Woman nodded, understanding. "Well, Cisco," she smiled. "If you can help us prevent another attack, I will think you are awesome, too."

"Oh, trust me, gorgeous," Cisco grinned. "I am going to trick this place out and make it so tight, even Barry here won't be able to sneak in!"

"I'm going to hold you to that," the unexpected growl of Batman came from behind the group, causing Cisco to jump out of his skin. The young scientist turned to see the Dark Knight heading towards them..

"You're- It's-" Cisco stammered to Barry, who sighed at Cisco's hero worship.

"Yeah, Batman, this is Cisco Ramon," Flash said. "He's going to help us making the Hall speedster proof."

"So you've said," Batman said.

The sound of an emergency communication sounded, distracting everyone. Walking over to the Monitor Womb station, they saw Danny Phantom's logo on the screen. Activating the view screen, the group saw Danny Phantom with a frazzled expression. "What is it, Phantom?" Batman asked.

"Is everything alright?" Wonder Woman asked.

" _Uh, hey guys,"_ Danny said, glancing over his shoulder, as though nervous. _"Um, Diana, by any chance, do you know anything about Pandora's Box?"_

"Pandora's Box," Wonder Woman repeated. "Only the legends; it was said to have contained all the world's evils. There are many versions of the tale; some say her curiosity got the better of her and so she opened the box, others claim she _created_ the box to contain evil. But the scholars on Themyscira all agree that Pandora and her box vanished ages ago; _if_ she even existed at all. Why do you ask?"

" _Look for yourself,"_ Danny Phantom said, stepping aside to reveal a park over run with hordes of frogs, bats and snakes. _"Turns out, it's very real! A certain annoyance of mine somehow got his hands on it in the Ghost Zone, and brought it here!"_

" _Danny! Evil Pegasus at three o'clock!"_ shouted the voice of a girl no one recognized.

" _Peggy who?"_ Danny asked, turning his head to the sound of the voice. Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Cisco watched in shock as the form of a massive blue horse with wins made of black fire slammed into Danny on the screen, knocking him down and causing Phantom to drop his communicator. The Pegasus then neighed angrily and flew off.

"Danny, are you alright!?" Batman shouted.

" _Ugh, fine...,"_ Danny groaned as he stood up, retrieving his communicator. Glancing back up, presumably at the Pegasus, he continued, _"Just send back up, gotta go!"_

As the feed cut, Batman turned to Diana. "You need to get to Amity Park," he said. "Your knowledge of the box might help. I'll continue to monitor the situation from here."

Diana nodded and ran to the teleporter pad, and Barry looked to Batman. "What about me? Should I go help, too?" the Scarlet Speedster asked the Dark Knight.

"No, we're short-handed as it is, with Superman and Power Girl off world helping the Green Lantern Corp," Batman said, not even turning his head. "You and Mr Ramon have work to do. I'll alert you if they need your help."

* * *

"Just send back up, gotta go!" Danny shouted and cut the feed to his communicator. He turned his attention to the creepy Pegasus floating above himself and Sam and Tucker. The beast whinnied angrily and flapped it's black flaming wings.

"Don't worry," Sam said. "I don't think it can do anything else."

The Pegasus reared it's head back and expelled a stream of blue flames from it's mouth at Team Phantom, who barely jumped out of the way in time. "Apparently, _you_ should read more, too," Danny frowned at Sam, who clutched her goth book.

Turning back to the Pegasus, Phantom flew into the air. "Hey, horse-face," he shouted. "Do the words 'glue factory' mean anything to you?" He hurled several glowing green discs made of ghost energy at the beast, who merely absorbed the attacks with it's wings, surprising Danny.

It then flapped it's wings at high speeds, generating a hurricane force wind that blew everyone and everything across the park. Danny collided with Sam and Tucker and they rolled to a stop. "Ugh, this day just keeps getting worse," Tucker groaned.

A bright portal appeared next to the three and Wonder Woman stepped through and gazed around at the madness, her long black ponytail flowing behind her. "And suddenly, it's all better," Tucker said in awe as he and Sam and Danny stood up.

"It would be, if you could stop drooling," Sam frowned at Tucker as she dusted herself off.

"Great Hera," Wonder Woman exclaimed at the sight of the chaos around them.

"You can say that again," Danny Phantom said. "This is _way_ out of hand."

"Who is responsible for all of this?" Wonder Woman frowned. Phantom pointed up at the Pegasus, where the Box Ghost was sitting on it's back.

"Yee-haw!" the Box Ghost shouted. "There is a _NEW_ sheriff in town!"

"Him?" Wonder Woman raised an eyebrow skeptically. "That round buffoon stole Pandora's Box? I thought you and Hawkman said he was harmless, albeit annoying?"

"He normally is," Danny said. "But that cruddy box made him... more annoying."

"Now it is time to meet my new deputy, _of death!_ " Box Ghost yelled, not noticing the arrival of Wonder Woman. He raised Pandora's Box above his head and a new ominous blue pillar of energy rose into the skies. When the light faded, a gargantuan green reptile with ten heads towered over the park! It's numerous heads bellowed loudly, with it's curved teeth dripping saliva.

"And suddenly, I miss the snakes," Tucker said, dumbfounded.

"A Hydra!" Wonder Woman shouted in surprise. She unsheathed her sword and shield, preparing for battle. Three of the heads spotted the shocked and spat fire at them. Danny, Sam and Tucker threw their arms over their heads as the flames approached them when Wonder Woman jumped in front of them, raising her shield to deflect the flames. As the flames subsided, Diana lowered her shield, which glowed brightly from the heat.

The Hydra noticed several frightened bystanders who ran for their life and proceeded to chase after them, bellowing and spouting fire. Wasting no time, Wonder Woman yelled and leaped onto the dragon's back and drove her sword into it's spine. The creature flinched and one head turned around and snapped at Diana who dodged and pulled out her sword from the creature's back. "Do not decapitate any of the heads," Diana told Phantom over her com. "More will grow in it's place!"

One bystander tripped and fell to the ground and one of the heads spewed more flames at the man. Danny flew in front of the man and blasted twin beams of ice energy at the flames, dousing them and freezing the offending head solid. The other heads became distracted and started breathing fire on the now frozen head. "Fight fire with ice, I always say," Danny said, smirking. "Or, at least I'll start saying it now."

"I always say, _'fight fire with phlegm!'_ " Box Ghost shouted from his perch on the Pegasus.

"What?" Danny Phantom asked. "That's just-"

In response, the Pegasus snorted loudly and spat out a massive ball of snot at Danny. "GROSS!" the half ghost shouted as he sore through the air. He crashed to the ground with a splat and thud. "Ugh, ghost-nasal drip."

"Let's see," Box Ghost said to himself, looking at a calculator. "Ten headed dragon, snotty horse with wings... Yes! My bounty increases!" In his exuberance, he fell off of the Pegasus and landed on the ground.

Wonder Woman was on the fat fool in an instant. "Your folly ends here," she sneered, gripping him by the collar. "Hand over the box, _now_ , and I'll let you go unharmed."

" _NEVER!"_ Box Ghost shouted and he emitted a devastating red blast that tossed Wonder Woman aside. "Horror, dread, _fear_! And all because of me!" He laughed maniacally and rose into the air, bathed in ghostly red energy.

"Is it just me, or is he actually starting to sound menacing?" Tucker asked as he and Sam helped a weakened Wonder Woman to her feet. He then looked down to see several hissing snakes slithering around their feet and yelped. Diana merely kicked the offending creatures away.

"It's the Box," Diana said. "It's feeding him more and more evil energy the more he uses it." The Hydra bellowed as it approached them. It's heads reared back, preparing to incinerate them. Phantom flew to them and raised and icy blue shield to protect them.

"Now, I will reign over your world, and you will _all_ bow to me!" Box Ghost bellowed gleefully from his steed. "Or you will face my wrath!" The Box Ghost and his steed flew away, leaving the small group to fend off the Hydra.

"I'm open to ideas, here!" Danny shouted, straining against the Hydra's onslaught.

Several green explosions suddenly knocked the Hydra off balance briefly, and the group turned to see the Fenton Family Assault Vehicle roar onto the scene. "Taste my fire, dragon-breath," Jazz Fenton shouted from the roof of the vehicle. She lifted a ghost hunter bazooka and fired two more shots at the behemoth!

As the tank-like machine roared to a stop, Maddie Fenton opened the door and lifted a device. "Ten heads, meet nine tails!" she shouted and launched the Jack-O-Nine-Tails at the creature, which wrapped itself around several of the long necks, electrocuting them!

Jack Fenton ran around the side of the vehicle and bellowed, "I don't have a clever quip!" He then raised his ghost rifle and opened fire. The onslaught confused the monster, causing it to bellow in pain as it turned around and fled.

"Who are they?" Diana asked. She had fully regained her bearings after the blast from Box Ghost. "They'll be killed!"

"They're the Fentons," Danny explained. "They do this kind of thing for a living."

Frowning, Wonder Woman opened her communicator. "Batman, we need reinforcements," she said. "The situation is getting out of hand."

" _Understood,"_ Batman replied. _"I'm sending Hawkman and Hawkgirl to help."_

"Good," Diana said and turned off the communicator.

"Sam, Tucker, help the Fentons find that thing before it destroys the city," Phantom said to his two friends. "Wonder Woman and I need to go into the Ghost Zone and find this Pandora."

"I don't like leaving the city with that monster on the loose," Diana frowned.

"We don't have a choice!" Danny insisted. "Pandora might be the only one who can help us. It's her box; maybe she can help get it away from him and put all of this stuff back in it. And you're is basically from Greek mythology; maybe you can help convince her!"

"I have never encountered her before," Diana said. "I only know her from what I've read."

"My book says her realm is weird and dangerous," Sam said. "Maybe you can use it to guide you?"

Danny took the book from her and the two shared a dreamy smile before looking away awkwardly. "Uh, it was the last copy at the Skulk and Lurk, so, uh, just be careful, okay?" Sam stuttered.

"I'll be back," Danny promised. Then, he and Wonder Woman took off into the air, dodging several large bats.

"How do we get into the Ghost Zone?" Diana asked as they flew from the park.

"Oh, right, you were on Paradise Island when I got my ice powers," Danny said. "There's a portal into the Ghost Zone in the basement lab of the Fenton Works building." The two flew over the city towards the Fenton's home. "They're ghost hunters."

Diana's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Hunters?" she repeated, surprised. "Do they hunt you, as well?" She didn't like the idea of anyone hunting her friend, let alone someone who hunted the spirits of the dead.

"Um, they used to, a lot, but not anymore," Danny said. "We, uh, sort of came to an understanding." The two heroes landed in front of the absurd building and Danny phased them both into the basement.

"Into Hades, then," Diana murmured as Danny opened the Ghost Portal. The ominous, hazy swirling of green ecto-energy cast an eerie light over the two. "Is this how you returned to the world of the living?" Diana's voice was laced with sadness. She still felt pity for the young ghost for having apparently died so young.

Phantom's eyes widened at that. "Um, no," he replied, the question catching the young hero off guard. "It's a little more complicated than that." He always felt kinda guilty for letting her and the other heroes, minus Batman, think he was an actual ghost. Especially for someone as kind as Diana. But, he also just wasn't ready to let them know he was only a teenager.

Shaking his head he headed for the portal. "Anyway, let's find Pandora," he said. As they stepped through the swirling green mist into the Ghost Zone. Danny and Wonder Woman flew through the creepy realm of the Ghost Zone.

Wonder Woman cast her watchful gaze about them as they flew. "This is not what I expected," she admitted.

Danny chuckled. "Oh, man, I know the feeling," he said. Danny flipped through the book Sam gave him "Let's see. Plagues, pestilence, boy bands... Whoa this is one evil box."

After flying through the Ghost Zone for what felt like an eternity, the pair came across a massive floating structure that Diana recognized instantly as a replica of the ancient Greek Acropolis. "This feels... wrong," the Amazon said as they landed.

"Hey, maybe she knows where Pandora is," Phantom pointed to a figure draped in red moving in the shadows of the pillars. As they ran up to the figure, Danny asked, "Excuse me, but do you know where we can find-?"

His question was cut short as the figure turned around and hissed harshly. Her hair suddenly began moving unnaturally and uncoiled itself to reveal that her hair was, in fact, a massive tangle of black snakes! Diana gasped and raised her shield in front of her face and yelled, "Medusa! Don't look her in the eye!"

"Why?" Danny asked. Medusa's eyes glowed red and Danny yelped as he was turned to stone!

"Danny!" Wonder Woman yelled in shock as she looked at Danny's now stone form. She unsheathed her blade, preparing to battle Medusa, when to her surprise, Phantom simply phased out of the stone that encased his form, leaving a perfect statue!

"Whoa, talk about a bad hair day," he quipped dryly and blasted a green ghost ray at Medusa's face, burning away the snakes on her head! Medusa shrieked in pain and horror as she slithered away, clutching her burnt face and head. "That's a really good look for you!"

Diana was at a loss for words as she stared in shock at Phantom. Even Perseus, himself, had not beaten Medusa so easily. "Danny, that was-"

"Painful," Danny finished for her, making a face at the Danny Phantom statue. "That was something I really don't want to repeat. Now, let's go before she comes back with a new hairdo."

Diana shook her head as Danny simply shrugged off the experience of fighting a true monster like Medusa so easily. Let alone surviving being turned to stone. Either the young ghost was a very humble warrior, or simply clueless.

"Let's see," Danny said as they flew through the Acropolis, thumbing through the book. "Pandora's castle rests on the other side of the lightning arch. You will be amazed how easy it is to find." They soon found the arch made of lightning, which led to a massive hedge maze. "A maze. Clever. Well, we better get moving." He walked towards the the entrance of the maze when Wonder Woman stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Why not simply fly over the maze instead?" Diana asked.

Danny blinked and then face-palmed. "Oh, duh," he muttered. They wasted no time and flew over the gargantuan maze and saw what could only be the castle of Pandora. It was a massive structure made of pure marble and gleaming gold. "Nice place."

"Let me do the talking," Diana said. They went to knock on the giant front door, only for it to swing open. Standing in doorway was a blue woman with four arms and gleaming gold and black armor from ancient Greece. She was at least nine feet tall and fierce pink flames rose from her helmet where it's plumage would normally be. She was holding a spear-like staff that was as tall as she was.

Danny and Diana were both surprised by the being's appearance. "Uh, Pandora?" Danny questioned.

Pandora frowned. "Who wants to know?" she shouted angrily.

"Great Pandora," Wonder Woman said. "This is Danny Phantom and I am Diana, of Themyscira. We seek your help!"

Pandora scowled beneath her helmet. "An Amazon," she sneered. "Why would I ever help an Amazon?"

"What do you have against Amazons?" Diana frowned.

Pandora huffed and folded two of her arms. "Ask Hippolyta," she curtly replied.

Diana was tempted to press the issue, but thought better of it. "Pandora, we really do need your help," she insisted. "We know who has your box, but we cannot stand against it's power alone."

* * *

The situation in Amity Park was nearing a crisis. Hawkman and Hawkgirl had arrived and were keeping the massive Hydra's attention on them and not the citizens of the city. But the Box Ghost had continued to release more and more evil from Pandora's Box. The Fentons, Sam and Tucker were busy trying to contain the massive swarms of evil frogs, snakes, bats, rats, and all other manor of vile monsters.

The Box Ghost had turned a frightening shade of red as he rode atop his dark Pegasus. "Get a load of my booooombox!" he yelled. The pudgy annoyance opened Pandora's Box once more and unleashed a blue wave of energy which exploded mere inches in front of Jack Fenton, who yelled out in agony.

"Dad!" Jazz called out.

"Jack!" Maddie yelled. "You alright?"

"Burnt my tongue on my smores," he whined, pointing to his mouth.

"Foolish humans," Box Ghost shouted. "The reign of the Box Ghost has only begun!"

"This is going to be the shortest rule in history," Danny Phantom shouted from behind Box Ghost, causing him to whirl around.

"Uh-oh," he muttered, seeing Danny Phantom flanked by Wonder Woman and the intimidating presence of Pandora herself. "Er, uh, I mean- Uh-oh, for _you!_ It is time that you crumble, and, uh, _fear me!_ Fear my box of terror!"

" _'Your_ box!?" Pandora repeated, her voice filling with rage at the statement. " _ **Your**_ _box?!_ That is _**MY**_ box! You stole it from me! And for that, you must pay!" She raised two of her arms and unleashed a massive blue energy ray aimed at the Box Ghost. The little thief opened the box just in time to deflect the blast back at a surprised Pandora!

The attack stunned Pandora briefly, only for her to recover and launch herself at the Box Ghost at full speed. Box Ghost looked afraid and raised a chubby arm and launched a ghost ray of his own, which struck Pandora head on, hurling her back. "Whoa," Box Ghost exclaimed, surprising himself as well as the onlookers.

Danny flew to aid Pandora with Wonder Woman. "He's never been this powerful, before," Phantom said.

"Oh, he's opened the box so many times, he's now filled with it's energy," Pandora surmised, angrily. She looked at both Wonder Woman and Danny for a moment. "I thought I could handle him, myself. But I need your help."

The Earth itself suddenly trembled and several large cracks formed in the pavement. "The Earth shall crumble before me," Box Ghost yelled.

Wonder Woman attempted to lasso the Box Ghost, but his Pegasus evaded. Box Ghost opened Pandora's Box and let loose another blast of energy. Diana blocked it with her gauntlets, but the sheer power through her back into the side of a building with a loud crash.

He then noticed Danny Phantom flying towards him and shot twin lasers from his eyes! Phantom gasped and responded with two icy beams from his own eyes, freezing the Box Ghost's attack. Danny followed up with another blast, which froze Box Ghost and his Pegasus in mid air, but the raw energy of Pandora's Box melted the ice around him.

"How about you just give us the box, and no one gets hurt?" Danny asked.

"Ha ha, _you_ are the only one's getting hurt!" Box Ghost responded.

"Yeah, I noticed that, too," Phantom said flatly. "But that is about to change!"

A shadow loomed over the Box Ghost and he spun around to see Pandora, fully recovered floating before him. She released a massive blast of purple energy from her spear, which struck the Box Ghost full on, and knocked him off his steed. The Pegasus flew away in fright, and the Box Ghost shouted, "Come back! I command you!"

" _ **You command**_ **NOTHING** _ **,"**_ Pandora's furious voice boomed. _**"And you do**_ **NOT** _ **steal from**_ **ME** _ **!"**_ She unleashed another energy blast from her spear, this one far more powerful than the last, this one hurling Box Ghost into the pavement below! Wonder Woman was waiting, and quickly lassoed the stunned Box Ghost. The magic properties of her lasso prevented him from going intangible and escaping.

"I did ask nicely," Danny said as he picked up Pandora's Box and returned it to it's rightful owner.

"My most treasured possession," Pandora said fondly as she took the box in her hands. To the Box Ghost, however, her tone changed dramatically. "How dare you betray it by using for evil?" She pointed a finger at the Box Ghost and repeatedly zapped him painfully.

"Wait, all of the legends say that the box was an instrument of evil," Diana questioned.

"Yeah, I thought it contained all of the malevolence in the universe," Tucker said as he and Sam walked up, each holding a ghost gun.

"It does," Pandora nodded. "Because I _created_ it to contain it all. I was trying to rid both the Earth and the Ghost Zone of all this, ugh, 'malevolence', as you say, and make both our worlds _less_ evil! Underneath all this fury and rage, I'm really a very kind and thoughtful gal." She then quickly shot another brutal blast of energy at the Box Ghost, who was regaining consciousness.

"Ow, so much pain..." the Box Ghost whined.

"Can we do anything to help you collect all of this evil?" Wonder Woman asked, noticing Hawkman and his wife were still battling the Hydra in the distance.

"No, Amazon, you have done enough, already," Pandora replied. "Besides, this is the easy part." She examined her box and found a switch. "Oh, I knew that spew switch was going to come back to haunt me."

She raised the box above her head, and a massive vortex of energy that only affected the monsters that escaped, sucking everything in, even the gargantuan Hydra, back into the box! Slamming the lid shut, Pandora turned her attention once more to the dazed Box Ghost. "You will face punishment for what you will done," she said, lifting him up by one arm. "And you have a lot of cleaning up to do, both here, and in the Ghost Zone."

* * *

Later, a grateful, and much calmer, Pandora had returned to the Ghost Zone. Wonder Woman spoke to Batman over the comlink. Apparently, the Flash's friend, Cisco, had nearly finished installing his security systems and they had returned to Central City.

Wonder Woman watched Danny Phantom speaking to the two teenagers that had been helping him when she first arrived. Soon, Danny and his friends parted, and Danny joined her. "Quite the adventure," she commented.

"Yeah, thanks for helping out when you did," Phantom nodded, grinning.

"Of course," Diana said.

"So, did Pandora say anything to you before she left?" Danny asked. "Like why she doesn't like Amazons?"

"No, she didn't," Diana sighed. "I'll have to speak with my mother. But Pandora did explain that her appearance is due to her residing in the Ghost Zone for so long. She was human and very much alive when she first entered."

"That explains the four arms," Danny chuckled.

Diana then turned her gaze down the road to Danny's two friends, who were talking to the Fenton family. "So," she said. "Who are your two friends?"

Danny's eyes widened slightly. "Uh, Sam and Tucker," he said. "They, uh, help me catch ghosts. Just like the Fentons."

"You seem to work well with them," Diana said. She noticed Sam kept glancing in Phantom's direction. Diana then narrowed her eyes coyly and smirked at Danny. "She clearly has feelings for you."

"What?! Sam-? Uh, no- We- She-" Danny stammered, his glowing eyes wider than normal.

Diana's amused smirk widened, but before she could say further, her comlink chirped again. Batman was on the other end. _"If you're done, you're need elsewhere,"_ he said. _"I've just picked up a report that a woman named Circe is causing trouble."_

"Circe," Diana scowled at the name. "Teleport me there, at once."

Batman acknowledged, and a glowing boom tube opened a few feet away. Wonder Woman turned to Danny and said, "Be well, Danny."

"Need any help?" Danny offered.

"No," Diana shook her head. "This is... a family matter." Wonder Woman then walked through the portal, which vanished shortly after. Danny was about to join Sam, Tucker and his family, when a sonic boom sounded, and a blur of red that trailed yellow lightning blasted down the street and came to a stop in front of Danny Phantom, causing a gust of wind to nearly blow Danny over.

The Flash, who looked winded, stood in front of a surprised Danny Phantom. "No time to explain," Flash panted heavily. "I need your help in Central City. Ghosts!" Before Phantom could respond, the Scarlet Speedster grabbed Danny and ran off in the blink of an eye, leaving only a gust of wind!

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed this one!** **As I said, it was hard to get this one right. That being said, don't expect any more chapters based on pre-existing episodes!**

 **On the bright side, the next few chapters will culminate into something very, very special that people have asked about in the past, and I'm very excited for it!**

 **As always, a big thank you to everyone who reads my stories and leaves a review! You guys are awesome!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners of DC Comics and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.**

 **Here it is! The 20th chapter! I'm so happy to have made it here! I hope you guys enjoy this one! Prepare yourselves for some unexpected appearances in this chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Brave and the Bold**

A gust of wind sparking with lightning came to an abrupt stop, and Danny Phantom found himself in an unfamiliar environment. He spun around, and realized it was some kind of advanced lab. The walls and floors were sleek silver and white, with numerous high-tech monitors and and wires and cables in some areas.

Scowling, Phantom turned to the scarlet speedster who had unceremoniously ran him all the way from Amity Park to Central City. "Really, dude?" he huffed shortly. The young ghost had already been through a rough day. After Wonder Woman had helped him defeat the Box Ghost after the little annoyance opened Pandora's Box, Danny had been planning on relaxing.

Then, the Flash had appeared out of no where, and here they were.

"Sorry," Flash shrugged. "But, like I said, we need your help. We've got one of your ghosts here in Central City!"

Danny then noticed two people walk into the Cortex. One was a young man with long dark hair and wearing a Big Bang Theory shirt, the other was a young woman with long auburn hair and wearing a white lab coat. The two were in a heated conversation, while looking at a tablet in the woman's hands.

"But that doesn't explain how they can alter their density _and_ turn invisible," she said, swiping her tablet. The pair hadn't even looked up and so hadn't noticed the presence of Danny Phantom. "Let alone, how they can possess someone!"

They nearly walked into Danny, who smirked and said, "Boo."

The young woman yelped in surprise, and the two nearly jumped out of their skins. "Whoa! You- He- That's-" the young man stuttered, clutching the young woman's arm while staring wide-eyed at the floating ghost teen with white hair and glowing eyes.

"Cait, Cisco, this is Danny Phantom," Flash smirked, gesturing between them. "Danny, this is Cisco Ramon and Doctor Caitlin Snow. They help me out here at S.T.A.R. Labs."

"Hey, how's it going?" Danny smiled at the two, his voice echoing.

"Ooh-ho-ho, snap," Cisco said, his expression changing into one of excitement. He quickly walked up and shook hands with Danny. "This is awesome! How cool is this? I saw you get trampled by that hell-hoarse this morning."

"Wait; what?" Phantom asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah, Barry brought me to the Hall of Justice this morning to help Batman with the security," Cisco said and Phantom nodded in understanding. "And let me tell you... That was some sweet tech. Like, made my inner engineer salivate."

"Welcome to Central City," Barry shrugged at Danny and grinned, lowering his red cowl.

Danny then looked at Doctor Caitlin Snow, who was still eyeing him with a cautious expression. "Um, are you alright?" Phantom asked her. "I didn't scare you _that_ badly, did I?"

Caitlin blinked and then shook her head. "Um, no, no, it's not that," she said. "It's nothing, really, it's just... Well, you and the other members of the League know Barry is the Flash. And that Hal is Green Lantern."

"If you think I'm going to blurt it out in front of people, I'm not," Danny said.

"I'm not worried about that," she said. "Well, a little. But the point I'm trying to make is... You don't wear a mask; do you have a secret identity? I mean no offense, but I doubt your real name is 'Danny Phantom'."

"Whoa, Cait," Cisco said. "It's not cool to go around and ask super heroes what their secret identity is. Although I do have a short list of, like, a dozen guys who could be Batman!"

Danny stiffened at Caitlin's question, but not in anger. Her questions were totally valid. She was just looking out for her friend, after all. He was still trying to keep everyone believing he actually _was_ a ghost. At least, for now.

"Uh, it's just a name," he shrugged. He gestured down to his glowing form, and gave a chuckle. "I thought it fit." A thought crossed his mind, and then he forced himself to look slightly sad. "Um... Besides, my real name doesn't matter. Not anymore. Not for a long time." He hated lying to people, which is why he usually avoided talking about himself to the other members of the League.

"So, you really are a ghost?" Caitlin asked.

"Last time I checked," Phantom nodded.

"Have you always had these powers?" she asked, the scientist that thirsted for answers bubbling up to the surface, as it had when Barry first got his powers. "And for how long? Do all ghosts have the same powers?"

"Uh... a long, long time," Danny said, surprised by the flurry of questions. "And, no, I've been doing this whole hero thing since before the particle accelerator blew up." Not exactly true, as he and the Flash had appeared on the scene at roughly the same time, but it did make him sound mysterious. "And all ghosts can fly, turn invisible, and phase through solid objects. Other powers usually develop that are unique to that ghost."

"Don't take it personally, Danny," Barry chuckled. "Caitlin is still struggling to accept that ghosts exist. She's been wanting a chance to grill you for information ever since I told her you were real after the whole Brainiac invasion. She thought you and other ghosts were just some stunt that your town was using to boost tourism."

"I just like to think... rationally," she said, slightly embarrassed, biting her lower lip. Lowering her gaze back to her tablet, she added quietly, "We live in a world with aliens, amazons and people with super powers; why not ghosts, too?"

"Nah, don't worry about it," Danny smiled at her. "Trust me, I get that a lot. People have a hard time accepting ghosts as being real, and not superstition." Turning to Flash, eager to change the subject away from himself, he said, "So about this ghost problem you have. Give me the details."

Barry sighed and pressed a few buttons on the console in the center of the room. On the larger screens in the Cortex, security footage that had no audio popped up of what looked like a bank. "This was from earlier this afternoon," the scarlet speedster explained. "Shortly before Cisco and I got back from the Hall. Caitlin is the one who alerted us."

Danny watched the screen as people went about their business, when suddenly, everyone looked around startled. What only could be described as pink laser beams rang out from an unseen source, causing everyone to scatter. "Well, those definitely look like ghost rays," he said.

"Wait, there's more," Cisco said.

After the chaos ended, Danny's eyes widened in shock at what he saw next on the screen. _'No way,'_ he thought to himself. On the security footage, Vlad Plasmius floated arrogantly out of the bank vault, his white and red cape flowing behind him. In his hands were two large, full bags. His lips were peeled back in a grin revealing his sharp white fangs.

On the screen, the Flash suddenly appeared, and the two appeared to exchange words. Flash suddenly ran towards Plasmius, but went straight through him. Whirling around in surprise, Flash looked at his opponent, who turned flew through the ceiling, turning invisible as he did! On the screen, Flash looked around, surprised, before speeding off.

"Guy made off with a half million in cash," Cisco said. "He even somehow disabled the tracers in the bills before taking off. That's, like, next to impossible! Not even sure Captain Cold could pull that off in that short of a time. This guy also hit up two other banks across town, too! He certainly isn't shy about people seeing him."

"At first, we thought it was a new meta-human," Caitlin explained. "After the particle accelerator, there have been so many new ones popping up."

"But, I knew this wasn't a meta," Barry said. "It was cold in that bank, just like whenever your around, plus he used the same powers you do. It wasn't hard to put two and two together, and that's when I ran to find you."

"Good thing you did, too," Phantom nodded. "He's the worst of the worst!"

"Wait, you know this creep?" Cisco asked, frowning.

"Way more than I'd like," Danny answered. "His name is Vlad Plasmius; and he's been a thorn in my side from the start. He's kinda my arch nemesis."

"Oh, great, that never turns out well," Cisco said, crossing his arms. "Arch enemies are always the most dangerous ones. Sick name, by the way. Definitely has vampire sound to it."

"But you've fought him before?" Barry asked. "So you must know how to beat him."

"You have no idea," Danny said, his expression hardening. "You guys have _no_ idea just how dangerous Plasmius is. He will kill you. _Kill._ Y _ou._ And everyone you ever cared about if you get in his way. He's not some random crook; he always has a plan. If he's here in Central City, he's up to something big."

"You haven't met some of our bad guys," Cisco smirked. "We have a few just like that."

"Not like Vlad," Danny frowned. "Trust me; the _last_ thing you should do is underestimate him. Believe me, I know from painful experience. He's been around a lot longer than me; and he's had a lot more experience with his powers."

"So, how do we stop him?" Barry asked.

"Well, normally, I could trap him in my thermos," Phantom said. He pulled out his trusty Fenton thermos from behind his belt. "But that won't be easy. We have to beat him, first."

"A soup thermos?" Caitlin asked in confusion.

"Yeah, don't ask," Danny chuckled. "It's complicated, and, yes, I know it's corny. But this tech has saved my butt more than once. It sucks a ghost inside and converts them into sentient energy, and keeps them safe and sound until I can throw their butts back into the Ghost Zone."

"Whoa, that's some slick tech," Cisco said. His keen engineer's eye caught on to the design right away. "May I?"

Danny thought for a moment. He didn't like giving his parent's ghost tech away to anyone, but he got a good vibe from these guys. Flash trusted them, so that was good enough for him. "Sure, knock yourself out," he said, handing over the thermos to Cisco. "Just don't break it; it's my only one. And without it, we might be screwed."

"So, do you have any idea how we can lure this guy into a trap?" Caitlin asked.

"Well, taking Plasmius by surprise won't be an easy task; he's going to sense me coming," Danny explained. "See, ghosts can sense each other's presence without even seeing each other. At this point, we'll just have to wait until he shows his evil head, again. And knowing him, as I do, he'll be back."

"We'll have to think of something," Flash sighed. His phone vibrated, and he checked it. "It's Joe. I need to get down to the station." In a gust of wind, Barry had changed out of the Flash suit and back into his normal clothes, and was gone in an instant.

"Alright, we'll just... keep working here, I guess," Danny called sarcastically.

"Dude, this stuff is tight," Cisco grinned, walking over and carrying the thermos. "Man, I could make some _epic_ toys with this!"

"Just make sure they don't blow up, this time," Caitlin warned him.

Phantom couldn't help but smile. Cisco reminded him of Tucker, and Caitlin was very similar to his sister, Jazz, in a lot of ways. "Sure, but just know that tech is patented and stuff," he said to Cisco. "The Fenton's might sue you."

"Really?" Cisco asked. "Who are they?"

"Ghost hunters," Danny explained. "Experts in the paranormal. They designed it, and other stuff. They used to hunt me all over the city, back when I first started. They wanted to rip me apart, molecule-by-molecule. But, we, uh, came to an agreement. But, if you can whip something up to help us stop Plasmius, I certainly won't complain!"

"Sweet," Cisco grinned. "Time to bust some ghosts! So, how does this even work?" He turned the thermos around in his hands.

"Uh- _whoa!_ Watch it!" Phantom exclaimed, quickly stepping away from Cisco. "Don't point that at me! I do _not_ want to get stuck in there, again!"

"Sorry," Cisco apologized. "I'm gonna run down to the lab and see what I can put together!" With that, he quickly ran out of the room, leaving Phantom with Caitlin. He looked over to her, and noticed her trying not to look at him.

"Go ahead," he finally shrugged. "Ask away. I don't need to read minds to see you have a million questions!"

"Can I run some tests?" Caitlin quickly asked, jumping at the offer. "There are so many things about ghost biology that I need to figure out."

Danny mentally cringed, regretting making the offer to a scientist, of all people. But, she was nice, and her aura wasn't hiding anything sinister, so that counted for something.

"I'll answer what I can, but no blood samples," he agreed. He did _not_ want anyone getting a sample of his blood. Good bye, secret identity, if that happened. "You don't have any equipment that could handle ectoplasm. It's not like human blood; it's really... volatile and unpredictable. I don't want to be the one explaining to Barry that you got hurt, or died, because of me."

"Fair enough," Caitlin smiled.

* * *

As the sun set, and night enclosed the city, Barry arrived at CCPD in time to find a less than happy Joe West, the man who raised him after the Reverse Flash murdered Barry's mother and framed his father for it. "Barry, where the hell have you been?" Joe asked. "Singh has been on the warpath about that string of bank robberies today that the Flash _didn't_ stop."

"Sorry, Joe," Barry apologized. He looked around, and led Joe up to his CSI lab where they could speak in private. "I've been at the Hall of Justice with Cisco most of the day. Thawne's back. He attacked the Hall, recently, and the others wanted Cisco and me to ramp up security."

"Thawne?!" Jow repeated, startled at that. "How is that possible? I through you tossed his ass back into the speedforce?"

"I did," Barry shrugged.

"Then what the hell did he want from the Hall of Justice?" Joe wondered. "That's, like, one of the most secure places in the world. Not to mention, it's basically super hero central."

"No clue, but I don't think he's after just me, this time," Barry replied. He then rubbed his face in frustration. "Dammit, Joe! Why can't we just be rid of him? I mean, he's taken so much from me! It's like, no matter how many times I stop him, I can never truly _beat_ him! He just keeps coming!"

"I can't answer that, son," Joe said, putting his hand on Barry's shoulder. "Thawne's like a cockroach with super speed; no matter how many times you flush him down the toilet, he just runs back up the bowl. But you are not alone. Now, more than ever. You got Caitlin, Cisco, me, Iris. Now, you got your Super Friends, too."

"Yeah, Batman's really not a fan of that name," Barry grinned.

Joe laughed at that. "Yeah, well, from what you tell me, he ain't a fan of anything," he said. "But back to the robbery today. What happened?"

"Cisco and I had just gotten back from the Hall when Caitlin told us about it," Barry said. "I got there, and I couldn't touch him. He's not a new meta; he's a ghost. Just like Danny Phantom. So, I sorta ran and grabbed Danny from Amity Park and brought him to S.T.A.R. Labs."

"Danny Phantom? He's here, in Central City?" Joe asked.

"Yup," Barry nodded.

"And the banks were robbed by a ghost," Joe said, skeptically.

"Uh-huh," Barry answered.

"You know, Barry," Joe said. "Just when I think this city couldn't get any weirder, you find a whole new level of weird to throw at me. Not sure how much more I can take. Just... you and your friend figure out how to stop this guy, or ghost, or whatever. 'Cause, I am _not_ going to tell the captain that the bank was robbed by a ghost."

"Sure," Barry said. "We're working on it."

"And one more thing," Joe said, before leaving. "Don't tell Iris about Thawne being back. Not yet. The last thing I want her worrying about is that monster."

* * *

"You really have a diverse range of abilities," Caitlin said. Phantom had been helpful in answering her questions about ghost biology. "Usually, most of the metas we face only have one intrinsic ability; like Barry's speed. He can use his speed to perform other actions, but they're all a byproduct of his speed. But all of your abilities aren't linked to the same source."

"Yeah, well, ghost abilities are different from meta-human powers," Danny said. "I don't really know the science behind it. Maybe there isn't any, for all I know." He was floating in a relaxed manner in the Cortex. He didn't really want to touch anything, because it all looked so high tech, but at the same time, he really _did_ want to look around because it was so high tech! It was S.T.A.R. Labs, after all!

"When you fly, do you ever get dizzy?" Caitlin asked.

"Nope, I never get dizzy," Danny shook his head. "All ghosts have total equilibrium." To demonstrate his point, he floated upside down, and landed on the ceiling, standing as though it were the floor! "See? For a ghost, _every_ direction is up. From my perspective, it's like you guys are upside down!"

"Whoa, that's cool," Cisco said. The young engineer had brought the project he was working on up to the Cortex. "Gotta be useful, too."

"Most of the laws of physics don't really apply to ghosts," Danny said, floating back down. "Just like the Ghost Zone. It's like the opposite of Earth. _None_ of the laws of physics apply to that place." Danny then noticed Caitlin's frown, as though she wanted to broach a subject, but also didn't at the same time. "What's the matter?" he tilted his head.

"Well, Barry told us about the Ghost Zone," she said. "When your ice powers developed. Is it... I mean, does _everyone_..."

"You mean, does everyone end up there when they die?" Phantom guessed at her line of thought. "The answer is no. Most people readily move on to the after life. The Ghost Zone is... different. It's complicated.

"But people who _do_ become ghosts can end up there," the halfa continued. "For a variety of reasons. They either aren't ready to move on, or they're afraid what might be waiting for them when they do. Others just aren't ready to accept the fact that they died, or are still too attached to the real world."

"Or they have unfinished business," Cisco guessed without looking up from his project. "Just like in every ghost movie."

"Exactly," Danny nodded. "Cliche, but true. The Ghost Zone is also pretty much infinite; I don't think it has an end. Just like the rest of the universe. I don't like to think about it, too much. I like to think that there are some answers we're better off not knowing."

Caitlin absorbed the information. She was about to ask another question when Cisco beat her to the punch. "This conversation's taking a morbid turn; how about this? Barry says there's a tribe of ghost yetis that basically worship you; is that for real?" he asked.

Danny visibly cringed. "Ugh, yeah, unfortunately," he chuckled. "I don't really enjoy that aspect about it. It's a long story. Short version? My town was pulled into another dimention by an evil, scary ghost king named Pariah Dark. Ironically, Dark was released from his tomb by none other than Vlad Plasmius. Anyway, me and the other ghosts beat Pariah, and put my town back."

"And here I thought Central City was full of the weirdness," Cisco shrugged. "Anyway, here's what I got set up for when our spook shows up, again." He held up several small disks that were glowing purple.

"See these? I used your thermos' containment design for these puppies," the young engineer said proudly. "When Vlad shows back up, Barry can use his speed to surround him with these. They'll sense a ghost, and activate a 360-degree containment field around him, preventing him from escaping. They'll even extend under the floor, so he can't get out that way!"

"Then Danny can go in and suck Plasmius with his thermos," Caitlin finished Cisco's line of thought. She then wrinkled her nose at the statement. "Which sounds really gross when I put it like that. I did not mean to phrase it like that!"

Danny laughed. "Oh, trust me, I've got a ton of jokes, like that," he said.

Barry suddenly reappeared in the Cortex in a gust of wind. "Hey, what did you guys come up with?"

"These babies are just what the doctor ordered," Cisco replied, tossing the discs to Barry and explaining their purpose. "Now, we just have to figure out how to lure our greedy ghost."

"I could go and try to lure him out," Danny suggested. "Vlad's ego won't let him pass up a chance to try and best me."

Before anyone could say any further, an alarm went off at the Cortex's control consoles. Everyone ran over to the computers, and Cisco reported, "We got another robbery downtown at the Patton Bank on the corner of Panabaker and 23rd. It's our ghost!"

"You ready to go bust a ghost?" Barry asked Danny, smirking.

"Who you gonna call?" Phantom replied coyly.

* * *

Inside the bank, Vlad Plasmius floated out of the bank vault, grinning widely. "Ha! I must say, I missed this!" he mused gleefully to himself. "The thrill of an old-fashioned bank heist! Made so much simpler with ghost powers!" The half ghost criminal made his way to the exit, when a red blur trailing yellow sparks appeared in front of him.

"You're not going anywhere, this time," Flash said, facing off against the ghost in the nearly pitch-dark bank. The only lights were those from the street outside, and a few small lights here and there inside the building.

"Well, if it isn't the red-clad buffoon," Vlad bared his teeth with a smile that revealed his fangs. "I would have thought you'd realized you can't stop me!"

 _Why do they always say that?'_ Flash thought to himself. Without saying a word, Flash ran faster than Vlad could react, and strategically placed the glowing discs at Vlad's feet. Upon sensing a ghost, the discs chirped quickly and a purple dome of energy encompassed Plasmius!

"Oh, what foolishness is this?" Vlad said in irritation. He attempted to fly through the dome, but only collided with the energy dome. Raising an eyebrow, Vlad then reached out and placed a hand on the energy dome, testing his intangibility. When nothing happened, he attempted to phase through the floor, but nothing happened.

The arrogant grin leaving his face, Vlad frowned deeply at the Flash, who smirked cockily. "A homemade anti-ghost shield; very clever, Flash," he admitted, his voice now filled with calm sternness, instead of the smug tone it previously carried. "Tales of your ingenuity were not exaggerated, I see."

A red mist escaped Vlad's mouth, and it clicked. "But something tells me that you didn't come up with this device on your own," the ghost stated.

"Your right about that," Flash nodded, smugly. Danny Phantom then phased through the wall, and flew in, coming up besides the scarlet speedster and holding his thermos.

Flash crossed his arms and smirked victoriously. "I called in a professional," he said.

The arrogant grin also returned to Plasmius' face. "So did I!"

A beam of bluish-white energy shot out of the shadows and struck the thermos from Phantom's hand! "No," Flash cursed as the thermos sparked and fizzled from the damage it took.

"Hello, _Flash_ ," came a slow, calculating reply. From the dark shadows stepped Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold. He was wearing his typical black clothing and his dark blue parka with the fur-lined hood and goggles. Flanking him was his partner in crime, Mick Rory, aka Heatwave. Snart smirked coldly at Flash's surprised expression. "It's been awhile."

"Snart?!" Flash said in surprise.

"Expecting someone else?" Snart replied as he and Mick stood at Vlad's side.

"What are you doing helping _him_?" Flash asked in disbelief.

"Like the old saying goes," Snart shrugged. "Money talks, people listen."

"And Spooky, here, payed us a _lot_ of money," Mick added, his voice gruff and low. "Not to mention all the loot we grabbed, today. It was a good day."

"Wait," Danny said. "Plasmius, why rob banks in Central City?"

"Really, boy," Vlad sneered. "As if I would pass up the opportunity to work a string of heists with the two greatest thieves the world has ever known?"

"We had a deal, Snart!" Flash shouted, angrily.

"The _deal_ we made, _Flash_ , was that I wouldn't kill anyone to get what want," Captain Cold replied, icily. "And Mick and I haven't killed anyone."

"The night's still young," Mick huffed.

"Because I'm feeling generous," Vlad said. "We'll let you leave with your dignity intact. Be proud! It's not often someone can surprise me, let alone trap me! But once I get out of this trap, you two will be outnumbered. And we wouldn't want the people of this city to start losing faith in the mighty Flash, now wouldn't we?"

"Man, I see you're still as nutty as ever, fruitloop," Phantom shouted. "There is no way that you're getting out of-" His sentence was cut off by a steam of hot flames, courtesy of Mick Rory's heat gun!

"Danny!" Flash shouted as he knelt down at Phantom's side, helping him sit up.

"You'll find I don't give second chances," Vlad said. Captain Cold and Heatwave spread out, and fired their weapons at the two heroes, who barely dodged the two streams of fire and ice. Meanwhile, Vlad laughed from inside the dome of energy.

* * *

Caitlin and Cisco were in the Cortex, monitoring the battle. They were surprised to learn of Captain Cold's sudden reappearance, to put it mildly. "Caitlin, this might be the right time to break out that antifreeze compound for Barry," Cisco suggested. "Just in case."

Caitlin had been developing a serum to help the Flash's natural super-healing ability work even faster in the event of a battle against someone with ice powers, or in this case, Snart's cold gun. Barry's healing was slowed considerably against extreme cold, which nearly cost him his life the last time they fought.

"But the serum hasn't even been even tested, yet," Caitlin warned.

"I know, but we might not have a choice," Cisco said. "We both know Snart fights dirty, and he'll do anything he has to to get away."

"Alright, I'll be right back," Caitlin conceded. She got up and left the Cortex and quickly made her way to the elevator down the curved hallway. Caitlin kept the serum in her medical lab in the basement, where most of her tests on Barry's physiology were run.

After she retrieved the serum, she made her way back to the elevator, to take her back up to the Cortex, she reached for the button, but she was surprised to hear it ding before she even touched it. The elevator doors parted, and she gasped to see a man standing in the elevator! He was wearing a dirty lab coat with a noose hanging around his neck, and a disturbing brown burlap sack over his head and face.

Before Caitlin could react, the man lifted a nozzle attached to a small pressure tank he was carrying and sprayed a dark green mist in her face. Caitlin dropped the serum, and began to choke and gasp, stumbling back. She also noticed a new sensation begin to intensify through her mind and body. She was afraid. Very, _very_ , unnaturally afraid...

But her rational thinking began to fade away, and she started to tremble. The room around her darkened, and began to fill with the same green fog that she had been sprayed with, and it was billowing out of the elevator, filling it so she could no longer see her attacker. The feeling of sheer terror began to intensify, pulsing through her veins like thunder.

"My, oh my," came a deep, raspy voice from everywhere and no where at the same time. "A new test subject. Must be my lucky day."

Caitlin meekly whimpered as she sunk to the ground, shaking as she backed up into a nearby wall. She trembled and brought her knees up to her chest as she looked into the billowing cloud of green mist that surrounded her. Through the mist, two glowing orange eyes gazed at her, staring into her soul.

From the elevator, a large, claw-like hand emerged, followed by a new figure. A spindly, seven-foot tall _nightmare_ emerged from the cloud. Gaunt and rotting, like a misshapen corpse, the figure had unnatural features. From it's torn flesh to it's unnerving and twitching movements, the entity slowly advanced toward Caitlin, like a predator stalking it's prey. She could see it's torn clothing, it's shredded shirt flowing around it in a non-existent breeze.

The skin on the creature's head looked like burlap, curling into a hollow and sickening smile. In it's hand, the nightmare held a deadly scythe-like sickle attached to a long chain. The creature approached her and bent down to meet her face to face. He traced the scythe along her cheek without touching her.

"Call me _Scarecrow_ ," the creature rasped slowly. He seemed to be relishing her torment as she whimpered. "Tell me, child. What do you _fear?_ Me, most certainly... But I sense something... _more._ You fear something much more than me..."

Scarecrow stepped aside and vanished into the mist, and Caitlin felt alone. So very alone... She also felt cold. Something she most certainly did not like.

" _She fears_ me _,"_ came a chilling, all to familiar voice. Like her own, but warped. Snowflakes began to fall around her, mixing with the already nightmarish surroundings. Caitlin tried to squeeze her eyes shut, but she couldn't! She was frozen with fear!

From the fog slowly walked Killer Frost, her evil counterpart from Earth-2. Frost circled Caitlin, casting her disgusted gaze down at her. "She's afraid of turning into me," Frost said slowly. "That she might hurt the people she loves. That she might hurt... _Ronnie._ Afraid that deep, _deep_ down... She's a cold-hearted _killer_!"

Caitlin clenched her eyes shut and screamed _"NO!"_

Opening her eyes, she was horrified to see the bloody body of her husband, Ronnie. A large icicle jutted from his chest. Screaming once more, her whole world went black as she finally passed out...

* * *

Cisco continued to monitor the battle at the bank, when he realized Caitlin hadn't returned. Frowning, he typed on the console and nearly fell out of his seat. On the monitor, he saw Caitlin passed out on the floor of her lab. The lab was filled with some kind of green gas, and some creep with a bag on his head leering over her!

"Caitlin!" he shouted. He slammed a button on the console and the ventilation system in the lab, and the gas was sucked out of the lab, causing the man standing over Caitlin to look around in surprise. Wasting no time, Cisco yelled over the communicator to the Flash. "Barry! We've got an intruder! Caitlin's been attacked!"

Not waiting for an answer, Cisco bolted for the hallway to try and help his friend, when he was kicked in the face by a black boot as he rounded the corner. Falling back to the ground dazed, he saw a woman in a tight black body suit standing over him. "Sorry, sweetie," the woman said. "Nothing personal." She then punched Cisco squarely in the head, rendering him unconscious...

* * *

Flash outraced Heatwaves flames as he ran, and Danny squared off against Captain Cold. Snart fired a precise beam from his cold gun, striking Danny in the shoulder. Phantom frowned and glared at Cold. "Ice, huh?" he taunted, phasing the ice from his shoulder. "That's cute."

Summoning his own ice powers, Phantom's eyes glowed blue, and he shot two beams of ice energy at Snart, who rolled out of the way and behind a desk. From behind cover, Snart fired his weapon at the discs surrounding Plasmius, causing them to fizzle out!

"No!" Danny shouted as Vlad was freed.

Flash dodged another jet of fire from Rory's gun, when Cisco shouted over his communicator _"Barry! We've got an intruder! Caitlin's been attacked!"_

Flash was about to respond, but Cisco cut the feed and wouldn't answer. He ran over to Phantom and told him what happened.

Vlad, meanwhile, looked at a device on his wrist. Smiling, he looked up. "Well, heroes," the villain sneered. "You have a choice. Either run along and save your friends, letting us go in the process... Or stay and we can continue this charade while your friends die!"

Danny Phantom and Flash glared at Vlad before looking at each other. The choice was obvious, but they didn't like it. Flash grabbed Phantom and they bolted from the scene. "Well, gentlemen," Vlad said to Snart and Mick. "I believe we've had our fun. Time to go."

* * *

The deep, dark fog was lifting. Caitlin Snow floated in the realm between reality and nothingness. Was that a light? What happened? She felt so... uneasy. She felt like every ounce of feeling had been drained from her mind. Breathing deeply, she felt her mind clearing and she slowly lifted her eyelids.

She was in an unfamiliar place. It wasn't S.T.A.R. Labs. Starting to panic, she bolted straight up in her bed. She was suddenly aware of Barry, who was still wearing his Flash outfit with his cowl lowered, and Cisco beside her. They quickly rushed to her side, attempting to calm her down. "Where am I?" she asked. She also noticed Cisco had a large bruise on the side of his head.

"Hey, hey, whoa, take it easy," Barry said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're at the Hall of Justice. S.T.A.R. Labs was attacked."

Caitlin then noticed Danny Phantom was also in the room, and he floated up to the foot of her bed. "Flash and I barely got back in time," he said, concern in his voice and in his eyes. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Uh... I was in the med lab in the basement, getting the antifreeze serum I made," she said slowly, her memories flooding back. "And then... then... he... Oh, God..." She gritted her teeth as her heart raced at the thought of what happened.

"It's okay, it's over, you're safe," Cisco tried to soothe her.

Caitlin's eyes shot open at a thought that just entered her mind. "Ronnie," she said, panic in her voice.

"Don't worry, Ronnie's fine," Barry said. "I called him and let him know you're okay. He's more than a little upset that he wasn't there to help, but he's relieved you're alright. We all are." Ronnie Raymond; Caitlin's husband; was one half of a hero called Firestorm, along with Professor Martin Stein. They were currently working with a colleague of Stein's to better their abilities.

"Good," Caitlin sighed. "What that monster did to me; made me see-"

"You were attacked by Scarecrow," came a dark voice. Batman walked into the med room carrying a small tablet, his dark blue cape flowing behind him. He made sure to keep a respectful distance from Caitlin's bed. He knew first hand how some victims recovering from Scarecrow's fear gas might react to his presence. He dressed like this for a reason, after all.

"He's a criminal from Gotham," Batman explained. "Doctor Jonathan Crane. He used to be a therapist at Arkham Asylum; but his mind became warped."

"Yeah, that's putting it mildly," Cisco said, scowling.

"He sprayed me with some kind of gas," Caitlin said. "It... made me see things. Things I never want to even think about..."

"Fear toxin," Batman explained. "Crane's specialized chemical mixture. It's a psycho-active chemical that stimulates the fear and adrenaline centers in a person's brain far beyond normal, inducing a forced hallucination of what a person fears most.

"You're lucky, Doctor Snow," the Dark Knight continued. "If Flash hadn't gotten to you in time; if he hadn't brought you here, you would've died. Lucky for you, I always carry a vile of the antidote to Crane's toxin. You'll be fine, but it'll take some time for you to recover from the shock."

"Thank you," Caitlin murmured, absorbing the information. Lifting her head, she asked Batman, "Can you leave the read out of my blood work? I'm a biochemist; I'd like to read more into what's happened to me."

Batman glanced at Flash for a moment, before handing the speedster the tablet he'd been holding before heading for the door. Flash then handed the tablet to Caitlin, who began reading through her medical readouts. "The League's meeting, but I'll check in on you later," Barry told Caitlin. He gave her a smile, before heading out the door.

"Uh, I'm glad you're gonna be okay, Doctor Snow," Danny Phantom said to Caitlin.

She smiled her thanks at the young ghost, who then floated out of the room to join the others, leaving Cisco to sit by Caitlin. "I'm so sorry, Caitlin," Cisco hung his head. "I should have... I don't know, done _something_ more. I was so absorbed with the fight at the bank-"

"There's nothing you could've done," Caitlin said. "We had no reason to suspect there was an intruder; the alarms didn't go off. You would have been whammied, too."

"I know, but, still," Cisco sighed, defeated. "I- I almost lost my best friend. I couldn't have lived with myself if that happened on my watch."

Caitlin then frowned at her friend. "Where did you get those bruises, anyway?" she asked.

"Uh, there was another intruder," he said. "She sort of- ah, ambushed me outside the Cortex."

"' _She'_?" Caitlin repeated.

"Yeah, but I didn't catch her face," Cisco said, embarrassed. "She came out of nowhere and kicked me in the head, Jackie Chan-style. Hell of a right hook, too."

"Not exactly our finest hour, was it?" Caitlin smiled softly.

"Yeah, no doubt," Cisco said, shaking his head. "Listen, Batman and the others want us to stay here at the Hall for couple of days and lay low, just to make sure. He and Flash are going to sweep S.T.A.R. Labs from top to bottom to figure out just how those two got past our security."

Noticing Caitlin's downcast look, he added, "Hey, look on the bright side! You were all kinds of jealous that I got to see the Hall, first. And, oh! Look! Here you are!" That earned him a chuckle from Caitlin. He always knew how to cheer her up.

* * *

As Batman, Flash and Danny Phantom entered the JLA meeting room, no one was seated. The matter at hand had everyone on edge. "I assume everyone's been briefed on what's transpired?" Batman asked.

The other League members nodded. Green Lantern Hal Jordan looked at Flash. "How's Caitlin doing?" he asked. Hal had known Barry prior to the formation of the League, and the two had worked together a few times.

Green Lantern had come to know the S.T.A.R. Labs crew quite well. Caitlin, in particular. By simply being Hal Jordan and not knowing she was married, he had tried hitting on her when Barry first introduced them, earning Hal a straight punch to the jaw from Caitlin's husband, Ronnie. But, after that one incident, once Hal knew where they all stood, they got along great.

"She'll be fine," Barry said. "She just needs time."

"As you all know, by now," Batman said, bringing the focus back to the matter at hand. "Earlier today, several banks were robbed Central City by a ghost that Phantom has identified as Vlad Plasmius." Holographic video of the security footage of Vlad in the banks played out before the League in the center of the table.

"We also now know that he was aided by two career criminals," Batman continued. The image changed to mug shots. "Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold, and Mick Rory, also known as Heatwave."

"Why would a ghost want to rob banks?" Power Girl asked. "Let alone, side with these two?"

"Snart said they were payed a great deal of money by Vlad," Flash said. "Also, the prospect of easier scores was probably too much to pass up."

"At the same time, S.T.A.R. Labs was also attacked by two other individuals," Superman said, this time. He brought up the security footage from S.T.A.R. Labs. Two feeds showed Scarecrow attacking Caitlin, and a woman in a skin tight black leather bodysuit. "Doctor Jonathan Crane, aka Scarecrow and Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. I hope you all see what we're getting at, here."

"These weren't two isolated incidents," Batman said. "This was a coordinated strike. Vlad, Cold and Heatwave robbed banks to lure Flash and Danny Phantom away from S.T.A.R. Labs, leaving the facility relatively unguarded for Scarecrow and Catwoman to sneak in. Scarecrow worked as a distraction, while Catwoman made her way into the Cortex."

"And wait until you see how they made their escape before Flash and Phantom returned," Superman frowned. The security footage showed a yellow blur with red lightning blast through the facility, grabbing Catwoman and Scarecrow before vanishing.

"Thawne," Barry scowled in anger. "Him invading the Hall wasn't an isolated incident; they're all working together."

"This is unprecedented," Batman continued. He leaned his fists on the table in front of him. His voice was like steel. "We have a group of super criminals working together. And not only that, but they're all connected to each of us, in some way."

"It's like they're forming their own anti-Justice League," Danny Phantom said.

"With these characters? More like a Legion of Doom," Hawkgirl said, crossing her arms.

"What did they want from S.T.A.R. Labs?" Martian Manhunter asked.

"Well, none of the meta-human criminals in the pipeline were let out," Flash said. "At least there's some good news."

"We won't know until Flash and I look through the systems and the facility," Batman said.

"Well, whatever it was, they were willing to attack two innocent civilians," Danny said.

"Worse yet," Wonder Woman said. "It seems intentional for them to have sent in a madman like Scarecrow; they wanted him to kill them both. Not only did they want into S.T.A.R. Labs, they are also targeting the people closest to us."

"Yeah, they definitely made this personal," Green Lantern frowned.

"We'll need to be even more vigilant than usual around the people we care about," Power Girl said. "We'll need to find somewhere where they can be safe."

"This is the most potent threat we've faced, yet," Superman warned everyone. "We need to be doubly careful when we're out there on our own. This isn't a single criminal, or a natural disaster. This is a cohesive group of hardened criminals bent on destroying us. We can't let our guard down, or it'll be the end for all of us."

"And who knows who else might be on their team?" Danny Phantom wondered. No one had an answer to that...

* * *

 **I'm really happy with this one! I love Team Flash! I really wanted Caitlin to be fascinated by ghost, and I really love the character!**

 **Some things: In this story, as noted in previous chapters, Ronnie is still alive, and Firestorm will appear later on. Caitlin will not become Killer Frost in this story. Zoom already happened, but he never posed as Jay Garrick, since Jay already exists on this Earth. Cisco has his Vibe powers, but I didn't include them in this chapter because I couldn't find a way to effectively show them. Scarecrow is based on his Injustice 2 version.**

 **And, so, the JLA is aware of the existence of the Legion of Doom! Things are picking up!**

 **Anyway, let me know what you think! And, as always, a big thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my story!**


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